List of nuclear power systems in space

This list of nuclear power systems in space includes nuclear power systems that were flown to space, or at least launched in an attempt to reach space. Such used nuclear power systems include:

Systems never launched are not included here, see Nuclear power in space.

Initial total power is provided as either electrical power (We) or thermal power (Wt), depending on the intended application.

Nation Mission Launched Fate / location Technology Nuclear fuel Power (nominal) Ref
 USATransit-4A1961Earth orbitRTG SNAP-3B238
Pu
2.7 We[1]
 USATransit-4B1961Earth orbitRTG SNAP-3B238
Pu
2.7 We[1]
 USATransit 5BN-11963Earth orbitRTG SNAP-9A238
Pu
25.2 We[1]
 USATransit 5BN-21963Earth orbitRTG SNAP-9A238
Pu
26.8 We[1]
 USATransit 5BN-31964Failed to reach orbit, burned up in atmosphere.RTG SNAP-9A238
Pu
25 We[2]
 USASNAPSHOT1965low graveyard orbit in 1300 km heightfission reactor SNAP-10A235
U
(uranium-zirconium hydride)
500 We[1]
 USANimbus B (Nimbus-B1)1968-05-18crashed at launch, radioactive material from RTG recovered from ocean and reusedRTG SNAP-19B (2)238
Pu
56 We[1][3]
 USANimbus 3 (Nimbus-B2)1969-04-14Earth re-entry 1972RTG SNAP-19B (2)238
Pu
56 We[1]
 USANimbus IV1970Earth orbitRTG SNAP-19[4]
 USANimbus V1972Earth orbitRTG SNAP-19[4]
 USANimbus VI1975Earth orbit, damagedRTG SNAP-19[4]
 USANimbus VII1978Earth orbit, damagedRTG SNAP-19[4]
 USAApollo 111969RHU (2)30 Wt[1]
 USAApollo 12 ALSEP1969Lunar surface (Ocean of Storms)[5]SNAP-27238
Pu
73.6 We[1]
 USAApollo 13 ALSEP1970Earth re-entry (Pacific Ocean, Tonga Trench)RTG SNAP-27238
Pu
73 We[1]
 USAApollo 14 ALSEP1971Lunar surface (Fra Mauro)RTG SNAP-27238
Pu
72.5 We[1]
 USAApollo 15 ALSEP1971Lunar surface (Hadley–Apennine)RTG SNAP-27238
Pu
74.7 We[1]
 USAPioneer 101972Ejected from Solar SystemRTG SNAP-19 (4) + RHU (12)238
Pu
162.8 We + 12 Wt[1]
 USAApollo 16 ALSEP1972Lunar surface (Descartes Highlands)RTG SNAP-27238
Pu
70.9 We[1]
 USATRAID-01-1X1972Earth orbitRTG SNAP-19238
Pu
35.6 We[1]
 USAApollo 17 ALSEP1972Lunar surface (Taurus–Littrow)RTG SNAP-27238
Pu
75.4 We[1]
 USAPioneer 111973Ejected from Solar SystemRTG SNAP-19 (4) + RHU (12)238
Pu
159.6 We + 12 Wt[1]
 USAViking 11976Mars surface (Chryse Planitia)lander modified RTG SNAP-19 (2)238
Pu
84.6 We[1]
 USAViking 21976Mars surface (Utopia Planitia)lander modified RTG SNAP-19 (2)238
Pu
86.2 We[1]
 USALES-81976Near geostationary orbitMHW-RTG (2)238
Pu
307.4 We[1]
 USALES-91976Near geostationary orbitMHW-RTG (2)238
Pu
308.4 We[1]
 USAVoyager 11977Ejected from Solar SystemMHW-RTG (3) + RHU(9)238
Pu
477.6 We + 9 Wt[1]
 USAVoyager 21977Ejected from Solar SystemMHW-RTG (3) + RHU(9)238
Pu
470.1 We + 9 Wt[1]
 USAGalileo1989Jupiter atmospheric entryGPHS-RTG (2)576.8 We[1]
 USAUlysses1990Heliocentric orbitGPHS-RTG283 We[1]
 USACassini1997burned-up in Saturn's AtmosphereGPHS-RTG (3)238
Pu
887 We
 USANew Horizons2006Pluto and beyondGPHS-RTG (1)238
Pu
249.6 We
 USAMSL/Curiosity rover2011Mars surfaceMMRTG238
Pu
113 We
 Soviet UnionKosmos 841965Earth orbitOrion-1 RTG210
Po
[4][6]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 901965Earth orbitOrion-1 RTG210
Po
[4][6]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 198 (RORSAT)1967-12-27Earth orbitfission reactor BES-5 ??235
U
[4][7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 209 (RORSAT)1968-03-22Earth orbitfission reactor BES-5 ??235
U
[4][7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 305 (Moon)1969-10-22failed to leave Earth orbit towards the Moon, burned up in atmosphere 2 days after launch??????[4][8][9][10]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 367 (RORSAT)1970-10-03Earth orbit, 579 mile altitudefission reactor BES-5 ??235
U
2 kWe[4][7][11]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 402 (RORSAT)1971Earth orbitfission reactor BES-5 ??235
U
2 kWe[4][7]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 469 (RORSAT)1971high orbitfission reactor BES-5 (officially confirmed)235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 5161972High orbited 1972fission reactor BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionRORSAT1973Launch failure over Pacific Ocean, near Japanfission reactor BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 6261973Earth orbitfission reactor BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 6511974BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 6541974BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 7231975BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 7241975BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 7851975failed after reaching orbitBES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 8601976BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 8611976BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 9521977BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 9541977exploded on re-entry 1978 (over Canada)BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 1176198011788/11971 Earth orbit 870–970 kmBES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 12491981BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 12661981BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 12991981BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 14021982Earth re-entry 1983 (South Atlantic)BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 13721982BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 13651982BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 14121982BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 14611983earth orbit, explodedBES-5235
U
2 kWe[4]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 15971984BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16071984High orbited 1985BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16701985High orbited 1985BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16771985High orbited 1985BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 17361986High orbited 1986BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 17711986High orbited 1986BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 19001987earth orbit, 454 mile altitudeBES-5235
U
2 kWe[12][11]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 18601987fission reactor BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 19321988Earth orbit 800–900 kmfission reactor BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 16821985High orbited 1986fission reactor BES-5235
U
2 kWe[12]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 1818 (RORSAT)1987destroyed in high earth orbitfission reactor Topaz-I235
U
5 kWe[13]
 Soviet UnionKosmos 1867 (RORSAT)1987parked in high earth orbitfission reactor Topaz-I235
U
5 kWe[14]
 Soviet UnionLunokhod 2011969-02-19rocket exploded at launch, radioactive material from RHU spread over RussiaRHU210
Po
[15]
 Soviet UnionLunokhod 11970Lunar surfaceRHU210
Po
[15]
 Soviet UnionLunokhod 21973Lunar surfaceRHU210
Po
[15]
 RussiaMars 961996Launch failure, entered Pacific OceanRHU (4)238
Pu
[15]
 ChinaChang'e 3 and Yutu2013Lunar surfaceseveral RHU's, RTG (??) (some electricity provided by solar panels)238
Pu
[16]

[17]

See also

References

  1. "Atomic Power in Space II: A History 2015" (PDF). inl.gov. Idaho National Laboratory. September 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  2. "Transit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  3. A. Angelo Jr. and D. Buden (1985). Space Nuclear Power. Krieger Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89464-000-3.
  4. Hagen, Regina (November 8, 1998). "Nuclear Powered Space Missions - Past and Future". space4peace.org. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  5. David M. Harland (2011). Apollo 12 - On the Ocean of Storms. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 269. ISBN 978-1-4419-7607-9.
  6. Bennett, Gary L. (August 6, 1989). "A LOOK AT THE SOVIET SPACE NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM" (PDF). International Forum on Energy Engineering. NASA Propulsion, Power and Energy Division. IECEC-89. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  7. Sven Grahn. "The US-A program (Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellites)". svengrahn.pp.se. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  8. Encyclopedia Astronautica article on the US-A RORSAT programme.
  9. http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/Luna/Luna.php
  10. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1969-092A
  11. "Top 10 Space Age Radiation Incidents". 20 January 2012.
  12. "US-A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Mark Wade. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-09-14. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  13. "Old Russian Nuclear Satellite Returns". Spacedaily.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  14. Lardier, Christian; Barensky, Stefan (March 27, 2018). The Proton Launcher: History and Developments. Wiley-ISTE. ISBN 978-1786301765.
  15. Karacalıoğlu, Göktuğ (January 6, 2014). "Energy Resources for Space Missions". Space Safety Magazine. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  16. SUN, ZeZhou; JIA, Yang; ZHANG, He (November 2013). "Technological advancements and promotion roles of Chang'e-3 lunar probe mission". Science China. 56 (11): 2702–2708. Bibcode:2013ScChE..56.2702S. doi:10.1007/s11431-013-5377-0. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  17. "Chang'e-3 - Satellite Missions". earth.esa.int. ESA. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
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