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View iconic images made possible by RPS power. Watch video explanations of the power behind those images. Download fact sheets, reports, and more.

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Explore images and graphics related to radioisotope power systems (RPS).

A montage of images shows Earth, Jupiter, Neptune, Earth's Moon, Jupiter's moon Io, a hexagonal vortex on Saturn, Pluto and a series of drill holes on Mars.

GREAT IMAGES POWERED BY RPS

Amazing images from around the solar system taking by RPS-powered missions.

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Two men work on a grand piano-sized spacecraft wrapped in a gold insulating blanket. A large cylinder, a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, sticks out of the side.

RPS TECHNOLOGY

Images of spacecraft, radioisotope thermoelectric generators and other RPS technology.

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A radial hub with the Sun at the center shows the science destinations of Radioisotope Power System missions. There have been five flyby missions, four orbiters, three rovers and three landers.

RPS GRAPHICS

Information graphics, illustrations, and diagrams of RPS technology.

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Pluto and Arrokoth

NASA's New Horizons, powered by a single General Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (GPHS-RTG) captured these never-before-seen views of Pluto and Kuiper Belt Object Arrokoth during its extended exploration beyond Neptune.

Credits: NASA/SwRI/JHU-APL

More Great Images

Featured Image

Powered by RPS

Images of the trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) Pluto [left] and Arrokoth [right], the primary flyby targets of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in 2015 and 2019.
Images of the trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) Pluto [left] and Arrokoth [right], the primary flyby targets of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in 2015 and 2019. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is capable of obtaining observations for in-depth studies of a wide range of TNOs that both complement, and go beyond what was learned by New Horizons.
NASA/SwRI/JHU-APL

Videos

Watch videos and animations related to radioisotope power systems (RPS).

Diagram showing how heat transferred to cold can create electricity.

How Does a Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Work?

Some of the most daring and exciting NASA missions exploring our solar system have become a reality thanks to a discovery made 200 years ago.

Watch
The title slide says Radioisotope Power Systems Power to Explore.

Radioisotope Power Systems - Power to Explore Trailer

Space nuclear power to explore the deepest, dustiest, darkest, and most distant regions of our solar system and beyond.

Watch
Illustration shows a honeycombed core being extracted from a finned cylinder.

MMRTG Pull-Apart Animation

A Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) is a type of space nuclear power system that converts heat into electricity using no moving parts.

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This computer-generated animation shows a small box separating into several smaller components.

GPHS Pull-Apart Animation

The General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) is the essential building block for the radioisotope generators used by some NASA spacecraft.

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This computer-generated animation shows a small box separating into several smaller components.

RHU Pull-Apart Animation

Radioisotope heater units (RHUs) are small devices that use the decay of plutonium-238 to provide heat to spacecraft in the cold space environment.

Watch
A whimsical illustration shows an astronaut typing on a laptop as she floats in space. Words behind her say Dark, Dusty, Far

NASA 2025 Power to Explore Student Essay Contest Trailer

Contestants were challenged to explore how NASA has powered some of its most famous science missions.

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The power to explore logo combines an artistic suggestion of an eclipse with the universal symbol for nuclear energy.

NASA 2024 Power to Explore Student Essay Contest Trailer

Contestants were challenged to explore how NASA has powered some of its most famous science missions.

Watch
Cartoon illustration of rover on Mars that says "Gas" with an arrow going back to Earth.

Radioisotope Power for Spacecraft

NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars – and some other NASA spacecraft that explore the solar system – use something called "radioisotope power."

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3D Viewer

Take a closer look at the MMRTG subsystem on NASA's Perseverance rover with our interactive 3D viewer.
NASA
featured report

2023-2032 Planetary Science Decadal Study

Origins, Worlds, and Life: A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032 highlights key science questions, identifies priority missions, and presents a comprehensive research strategy that includes both planetary defense and human exploration.

Download from the National Academies
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More on Radioisotope Power Systems

About Radioisotope Power Systems

Choosing between solar and nuclear power for a space mission has everything to do with where a spacecraft needs to…

About Plutonium-238

Several unique features of plutonium-238 have made it the material of choice to help produce electrical power for spacecraft.

Radioisotope Power Systems Safety and Reliability

Safety is a critical priority in NASA’s use of radioisotope power systems, and is integrated into every phase of the…

Radioisotope Power Systems FAQ

Frequently asked questions about radioisotope power systems (RPS).