Establishing a Supply of Plutonium-238 and Associated Radioisotope Power Systems Capabilities and Policy Improvements — A Multi-part Success Story
Whitepaper #455 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: other: Infrastructure/cross-Agency capabilities; state of the profession; technology development
by Thomas Sutliff, Peter W. McCallum, and Stephen G. Johnson
Published onMar 18, 2021
Establishing a Supply of Plutonium-238 and Associated Radioisotope Power Systems Capabilities and Policy Improvements — A Multi-part Success Story
Capabilities to explore the solar system using radioisotope power systems improved over the last 10 years. DOE reestablished domestic production of plutonium-238 and began Constant Rate Production activities. Also, implementation of programmatic NEPA and compliance with NSPM-20 began. All changes benefit current and future RPS missions.
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