Radioisotope

Thermoelectric Generators
Based on 241Am

Courtesy of NASA
Image of Uranus
Courtesy of NASA JPL/Caltech
Image of Mars Gale Crater
Richard Ambrosi (rma8@le.ac.uk), Hugo Williams, Emily Jane Watkinson et al.
University of Leicester, Department of Physics & Astronomy & Department of Engineering

Marie-Claire Perkinson, Kevin Tomkins
Airbus Defence and Space, Stevenage

Stephen Gibson
Lockheed Mar@n, Ampthill

Tim Tinsley, Mark Sarseld
Na@onal Nuclear Laboratory, Sellaeld

Mike Reece, Kan Chen
Queen Mary University of London

Kevin Simpson, Mark Robbins
European Thermodynamics Ltd, Leicester

Keith Stephenson
European Space Agency


 IntroducRon
Radioisotope power sources are an important technology for future European
space exploraRon missions resulRng in:
- More capable spacecraT.
- Probes that can access distant, cold, dark and inhospitable environments.
- Probes that can operate more eecRvely close to the Sun.
- Missions using nuclear power can provide higher science return given the extended
operaRonal lifeRmes.
- In many cases nuclear systems can enable missions that are very challenging.

Focus is on 241Am for the radiogenic heat source.

Programme is based on incremental technology readiness level upliT to increase
the maturity of systems this strategy will:
- Provide greater freedom for science communiRes in Europe to propose missions that
include radioisotope power sources.
- Facilitate the inclusion of technology soluRons in mission studies by industry and
agencies.
- Deal with technology challenges in a systemaRc and ecient way.
Commercial in Condence
 Radioisotope Power Systems:
ESA Funded AcRviRes
The European programme targeRng mulRple strands:
- Isotope producRon.
- Isotope containment (cladding and aeroshell).

- Heat source development (dierent geometries and aeroshell material trades).

- Radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) design and development.

Thermoelectric materials and modules.

- SRrling generator design and development.

- Radioisotope heater unit design and development.

Commercial in Condence
 Image of MMRTG and GPHS Modul
9.95 x 9.32 x 5.31 cm3

RTG

Commercial in Condence Images of MMRTG and content courtesy of US DOE & NASA
 Ice & Gas Giants

Increasing interest in tackling the exploration challenges of the outer

solar system.
New architectures and innovative mission design.
Images courtesy of NASA

Small platforms could play a role in a multi-spacecraft mission

concept.
- Main orbiting spacecraft, small deployable spacecraft, probe.
Radioisotope power and heat in different scalable formats could have
an important role to play.

Pioneer

New Horizons
 Surviving in Extremely Cold Environments on the Moon

Moon & Mars

Viking

Spirit & Opportunity

Network
Mission
Image of INSPIRE Network Mission Courtesy of ESA.
Images of the Lunar South Pole from LRO Courtesy of NASA & UCLA. Curiosity
Images of Viking, Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity Courtesy of NASA, JPL.
 ESA Funded Radioisotope Power Programme
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Isotope
Selection
Isotope Production
(Phase 1)
Isotope Production
(Phase 2)

RTG
(TRL3)
RTG
(TRL4)

RHU
(TRL3)

Commercial in Condence
 Fuel ProducRon
Image Courtesy of ESA & National Nuclear Laboratory

120 tons of separated reprocessed Pu.

Approximately 2-3 tons of Am-241.
Commercial in Condence
Full scale producRon of Am ~10-20 kg / year.
 RTG Development in the UK

RTG requirement is to develop scalable power output and modular heat source
designs for iniRally for 5 We - 50 We and later from 10 We to 50 We RTG
systems.
- IteraRve ight design programme.
IdenRfy suitable thermoelectric materials and build test modules.
- UK team focused on bismuth telluride.
- Incremental improvements in materials and manufacturing methods.
- Independent commercial producRon capability.
Electrically heated laboratory prototype system
- GeneraRon 1:
- Target power of 80 W thermal and 4 W electric i.e. 5% system eciency.
- RTG prototype to TRL 3.
- Develop a test bed for thermoelectric generators as part of an RTG system.

Commercial in Condence
 RTG Development in the UK

Gen 1 -Flight
System Design Manufactured modules
(40 x 40 mm2 161 couples)

Industrial thermoelectric generator

manufacturing methods with
incremental improvements to well-
characterised materials.

Gen 1 Lab
Establishing full producRon capability
in the UK.
Gen 2 Flight Prototype System
System Design (TRL3) Bespoke unicouple design.
Commercial in Condence
 System Eciency & Specic Power
5" RTG = 5.0% "
Modelled&Power&Output&(We)&

RTG = 4.5% " +15%" +10%" +5%"

=15%"
RTG = 4.0% " =10%"
4"
=5%"
RTG = 3.5% "

RTG = 3.0% "

3"

2"
2" 2.5" 3" 3.5" 4" 4.5" 5"
Experimental&Power&Output&(We)&
6"mm,"Ti"heatshield" 6"mm"+"Au"heat"shield" 6"mm"BST,"Au"heat"shield"
8"mm,"Ti"heatshield" 8"mm,"Au"heatshield" 6"mm"BST"+"B4C,"Au"heat"shield"

Commercial in Condence
 Summary
The current ESA space nuclear power programme is aimed at addressing key technology
components.
- RTG programme has focused on iteraRve approach to developing a ight design,
producing a laboratory prototype and mulRple generaRons of bismuth telluride
thermoelectric generators.
- Since the programme kicked o in 2008, a lot has been achieved at a rapid rate of
development.
- Cost eecRve projects involving mulRdisciplinary teams and a structured collaboraRon
between academia and industry.
- Knowledge base on radioisotope systems has been increased signicantly, posiRoning the
Europe as an intelligent user of the technology to support future European uRlisaRon of
radioisotope systems.
- Future will focus on radioisotope heater units and advancing the RTG ight design and
working prototype to TRL 4, targeRng 10 W electric output from 200 W thermal power
output.

Commercial in Condence
Acknowledgements

Sue Horne, Major Chahal, Nick Cox
UK Space Agency, Swindon, Wiltshire, UK