23:59 GMT - Tuesday, 18 March, 2025

Radioisotope Heater Unit Pull-Apart Animation

Home - Nature & Science - Radioisotope Heater Unit Pull-Apart Animation

Share Now:


Radioisotope heater units (RHUs) help bring dependable heat to spacecraft. One RHU generates about one watt of heat energy from the natural radioactive decay of a small pellet of plutonium oxide (which consists mostly of plutonium-238). This heat is transferred directly to spacecraft structures, systems, and instruments, without the need for moving parts.

Highlighted Articles

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

You may also like

Stay Connected

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.