Radioisotope Power Systems

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RPS 60th: Transit IV-A Shareable

illustration of Transit 4-A

Launched on June 29, 1961, Transit IV-A was the first satellite to carry a radioisotope power system into space.

Transit IV-A conducted navigation trials and demonstrations, improved the understanding of the effects of ionospheric refraction on radio waves and increased knowledge of the earth's shape and gravitational field. Doppler data from this satellite confirmed that the equator of the earth is elliptical.

Credit

Credits: NASA/GRC

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NASA selected 9 finalists out of the 45 semi-finalists student essays in the Power to Explore Challenge, a national competition for K-12 students featuring the enabling power of radioisotopes.

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