Real World: NASA Harnesses Half-Life
Learn about isotopes and radioactive decay. See how NASA uses the predictable decay of certain elements to power spacecraft in remote locations. Find out why a Radioisotope Power System, or RPS, provides dependable energy for the Mars Science Laboratory.
Background Information
Grades 6 through 8
- NASA Radioisotope Power Systems
- NASA JPL Eyes on the Solar System
- NASA JPL The Periodic Table: Atoms, Elements, and Isotopes
- NASA JPL Voyager: The Interstellar Mission
- NASA JPL What are isotopes and why should we care?
- Nuclear Energy Institute Space Exploration: Why Nuclear Energy?
Grades 9 through 12
Activities
Grades 6 through 8