Lightweight Radioisotope Heater Unit
Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) are small devices that use the decay of plutonium-238 to provide heat to keep a spacecraft’s components and systems warm so that the equipment can survive long enough in the cold space environment to complete its mission.
U.S. Department of Energy
February 6, 2025
| Credit | U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) |
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Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) are small devices that use the decay of plutonium-238 to provide heat to keep a spacecraft’s components and systems warm so that the equipment can survive long enough in the cold space environment to complete its mission.