What is the most surprising and out of nowhere piece of scientific technology that we thought was impossible?
In 1961 radioisotope thermoelectric generator were first used. Radioisotope thermoelectric generator are sometimes called nuclear batteries but that is a bit of a misnomer since there is no fission or fusion taking place. Since that first use in 1961 the radioisotope thermoelectric generator has been put in over 2 dozen space craft or used in various space missions which have yielded amazing discoveries. “ Each RTG had a total weight of 37.7 kg including about 4.5 kg of Pu-238. It uses 24 pressed plutonium-238 oxide spheres and provides enough heat to generate approximately 157 watts of electrical power initially - halving every 87.7 years. Each RTG generated about 2400 Watts of thermal power”
Three Radioisotope thermoelectric generators were used on each voyager spacecraft and are still in use today although largely depleted. The Voyager spacecrafts which can be said to have discovered more and seen more of our solar system than any other spacecraft are still making discoveries today.
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