slide 1 - A collage of words that tell the “super powers” of the 45 semi-finalists including words like perseverance, determination, dedication, leadership, flexibility, and creativity, to name a few.

Student Contest

NASA Names Semi-Finalists in the Power to Explore Essay Contest

NASA has selected 45 semi-finalist of the Power to Explore Challenge, a national competition for K-12 students featuring the enabling power of radioisotopes. Read More ›

Anniversary

After 60 Years, Nuclear Power for Spaceflight is Still Tried and True

Six decades after the launch of the first nuclear-powered space mission, Transit IV-A, NASA is embarking on a bold future of human exploration and scientific discovery. MORE ›

Be Creative with RPS Coloring Pages

Kids: You can color pictures of NASA spacecraft that use radioisotope power to explore the Moon, Mars, and Saturn's largest moon, Titan Read More ›

Podcast

On a Mission: The Power of the Rovers

How do NASA rovers power themselves on Mars? The rovers exploring Mars today – Curiosity and Perseverance – use a system called a “Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator,” or RTG. Listen ›

slide 5 - The Seebeck Effect, showing heat flow in two different metals creating a voltage

How do RTG's Work? The Seebeck Effect

This short video gives an overview of the science behind the radioisotope power systems that power some of NASA's spacecraft. Learn about the Seebeck effect, and the relationship between heat flow and electricity generation. Watch Here ›

Student Contest

NASA Names Semi-Finalists in the Power to Explore Essay Contest

Anniversary

After 60 Years, Nuclear Power for Spaceflight is Still Tried and True

Be Creative with RPS Coloring Pages

Podcast

On a Mission: The Power of the Rovers

How do RTG's Work? The Seebeck Effect

New Horizons: Mission Elapsed Time

News and Features

Why RPS?

Power and Thermal Systems

Technology

Missions

Why RPS?

For more than five decades, radioisotope power systems have played a critical role in the exploration of space, enabling missions of scientific discovery to destinations across the solar system. › More

Power and Thermal Systems

Technology

Missions

MMRTG Mission Planner Data Package

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Images

Missions

Videos