NASA needs 238Pu, and LFTR’s might be the way
Thermoelectric generators powered by the decay of plutonium-238 literally opened up the exploration of the solar system to the United States. Pioneer 10 and 11 were the first probes to Jupiter and Saturn. Both were powered by American RTGs. Viking 1 and 2 landed on Mars, and survived several years to tell the tale, due to the power and heating from the radioisotope power sources. And Voyagers 1 and 2 opened up Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune on a grand tour of the solar system, powered by RTGs.
How many spacecraft have gone to the outer planets without RTGs? Very few. The American Juno spacecraft is at Jupiter with solar arrays like a football field. And a European spacecraft is on its way to Jupiter with solar panels, along with another American spacecraft, the Europa Clipper. How will they fare? We shall see.
But beyond Jupiter, the solar system is and has been an American-only, RTG-only field of exploration. Even the European Huygens probe relied on American radioisotope heating units to keep it from freezing. And all of this exploration is at risk due to our failure to produce enough plutonium-238.
If only someone had proposed a solution…
RTG’s are good, but at some point in time, we have to develop other systems especially for larger spacecraft with larger energy demands. I.e. perhaps very small reactors, or RTG’s with other nuclear fuels, with half- lives that are tailored to the mission length.