The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has successfully operated its nuclear battery (ETG, Electrically-heated Thermoelectric Generator) in space for 18 months.
In a press release issued on July 9, the institute announced that the nuclear battery, launched aboard the Nuri rocket in 2022, continuously produced about 120mW of power without any output reduction or component failure from November 2022 to May 2024.
The nuclear battery, developed by Dr. Jin-tae Hong's research team, uses plutonium isotope (Pu-238) as a heat source and consists of thermoelectric elements and a thermal control structure.
This device, a small nuclear battery with a thermal output of 10W, has demonstrated its capability to produce stable power over a long period.
The research team stored the output voltage and internal temperature data of the nuclear battery in the satellite body for a certain period and transmitted the data to the ground station to evaluate its operational status.
As a result, even in short-term performance tests, the nuclear battery maintained its target electrical output (120±50mW) over a long period, confirming its stability in the space environment.
Dr. Hong stated, "About 120mW of power is sufficient to perform tasks such as environmental temperature monitoring and space radiation measurement on the lunar surface," and explained, "Despite replacing the radioactive isotope heat source with an electric heater according to UN international regulations, the target power was normally produced."
The research team plans to mount the nuclear battery on a lunar lander to demonstrate power production on the lunar surface in the future.
Dr. Hong emphasized, "Securing energy sources that can withstand extreme environments is crucial to achieving Korea's space exploration goals, such as lunar landing in 2032 and Mars landing in 2045," and stated that nuclear batteries will be the key.
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The space nuclear battery developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (left) and its installation on the Nuri rocket
The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has successfully operated its nuclear battery (ETG, Electrically-heated Thermoelectric Generator) in space f
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