Radioisotope generator
device · 1961 · Digital age
A battery using decay heat and thermocouples; powers the Voyager probes.
What it is made of
- Thermocouple — has part. Thermocouples turn heat into current.
Principles and materials it uses
- Radioactivity — uses. The decay heat of plutonium.
- Semiconductor — is made of. The thermoelements are a semiconductor (lead telluride).
Where it is used
- Space probe — is part of. The Voyagers’ RTGs.
- Mars rover — is part of. Curiosity’s RTG.