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List of nuclear power systems in space

Topic: Engineering

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This list of nuclear power systems in space includes 86 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 Status Location Notes Type System name Nuclear fuel Power (nominal) Ref
 USA Transit-4A 1961 Intact Earth orbit RTG SNAP-3B The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 2.7 We [1]
 USA Transit-4B 1961 Intact Earth orbit RTG SNAP-3B The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 2.7 We [1]
 USA Transit 5BN-1 1963 Intact Earth orbit RTG SNAP-9A The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 25.2 We [1]
 USA Transit 5BN-2 1963 Intact Earth orbit RTG SNAP-9A The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 26.8 We [1]
 USA Transit 5BN-3 1964 Destroyed - Failed to reach orbit, burned up in atmosphere. RTG SNAP-9A The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 25 We [2]
 USA SNAPSHOT 1965 Intact Earth orbit Low graveyard orbit in 1300 km height Fission reactor SNAP-10A The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. (uranium-zirconium hydride) 500 We [1]
 USA Nimbus B (Nimbus-B1) 1968-05-18 Destroyed - Crashed at launch, radioactive material from RTG recovered from ocean and reused
 USA Nimbus 3 (Nimbus-B2) 1969-04-14 Destroyed - Earth re-entry 1972 RTG SNAP-19B (2) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 56 We [1]
 USA Nimbus IV 1970 Intact Earth orbit RTG SNAP-19 [3]
 USA Nimbus V 1972 Intact Earth orbit RTG SNAP-19 [3]
 USA Nimbus VI 1975 Damaged Earth orbit RTG SNAP-19 [3]
 USA Nimbus VII 1978 Damaged Earth orbit RTG SNAP-19 [3]
 USA Apollo 11 1969 Intact Lunar surface Sea of Tranquility RHU RHU (2) 30 Wt [1]
 USA Apollo 12 ALSEP 1969 Intact Lunar surface Ocean of Storms[4] RTG SNAP-27 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 73.6 We [1]
 USA Apollo 13 ALSEP 1970 Intact Earth ocean Survived reentry, remains at 7000+ ft depth, Tonga Trench, Pacific Ocean RTG SNAP-27 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 73 We [1]
 USA Apollo 14 ALSEP 1971 Intact Lunar surface Fra Mauro RTG SNAP-27 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 72.5 We [1]
 USA Apollo 15 ALSEP 1971 Intact Lunar surface Hadley–Apennine RTG SNAP-27 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 74.7 We [1]
 USA Pioneer 10 1972 Intact Solar escape trajectory RTG SNAP-19 (4) + RHU (12) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 162.8 We + 12 Wt [1]
 USA Apollo 16 ALSEP 1972 Intact Lunar surface Descartes Highlands RTG SNAP-27 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 70.9 We [1]
 USA TRAID-01-1X 1972 Intact Earth orbit RTG SNAP-19 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 35.6 We [1]
 USA Apollo 17 ALSEP 1972 Intact Lunar surface Taurus–Littrow RTG SNAP-27 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 75.4 We [1]
 USA Pioneer 11 1973 Intact Solar escape trajectory RTG RTG SNAP-19 (4) + RHU (12) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 159.6 We + 12 Wt [1]
 USA Viking 1 1976 Intact Mars surface Chryse Planitia RTG lander modified SNAP-19 (2) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 84.6 We [1]
 USA Viking 2 1976 Intact Mars surface Utopia Planitia RTG lander modified SNAP-19 (2) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 86.2 We [1]
 USA LES-8 1976 Intact Earth orbit Near geostationary orbit RTG MHW-RTG (2) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 307.4 We [1]
 USA LES-9 1976 Intact Earth orbit Near geostationary orbit RTG MHW-RTG (2) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 308.4 We [1]
 USA Voyager 1 1977 In use Solar escape trajectory RTG MHW-RTG (3) + RHU(9) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 477.6 We + 9 Wt [1]
 USA Voyager 2 1977 In use Solar escape trajectory RTG MHW-RTG (3) + RHU(9) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 470.1 We + 9 Wt [1]
 USA Mars 2020/Perseverance 2020 In use Mars surface RTG MMRTG The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 110 We [5]
 USA Galileo 1989 Destroyed - Jupiter atmospheric entry RTG GPHS-RTG (2) 576.8 We [1]
 USA Ulysses 1990 Intact Heliocentric orbit RTG GPHS-RTG 283 We [1]
 USA Cassini 1997 Destroyed - Burned-up in Saturn's atmosphere RTG GPHS-RTG (3) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 887 We
 USA New Horizons 2006 In use Solar escape trajectory RTG GPHS-RTG (1) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 249.6 We
 USA MSL/Curiosity rover 2011 In use Mars surface RTG MMRTG The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. 113 We
 Soviet Union Kosmos 84 1965 Intact Earth orbit RTG Orion-1 RTG The element Chemistry:Polonium does not exist. [3][6]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 90 1965 Intact Earth orbit RTG Orion-1 RTG The element Chemistry:Polonium does not exist. [3][6]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 198 (RORSAT) 1967-12-27 Intact Earth orbit Fission reactor BES-5 ?? The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. [3][7]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 209 (RORSAT) 1968-03-22 Intact Earth orbit Fission reactor BES-5 ?? The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. [3][7]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 300 (Moon) 1969-09-23 Destroyed - Failed to achieve escape trajectory, burned up 4 days after launch RTG The element Chemistry:Polonium does not exist. [8]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 305 (Moon) 1969-10-22 Destroyed - Failed to achieve escape trajectory, burned up 2 days after launch RTG The element Chemistry:Polonium does not exist. [3][9][10][11][8]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 367 (RORSAT) 1970-10-03 Intact Earth orbit, 579 mile altitude Fission reactor BES-5 ?? The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [3][7][12]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 402 (RORSAT) 1971 Intact Earth orbit Fission reactor BES-5 ?? The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [3][7]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 469 (RORSAT) 1971 Intact High orbit Fission reactor BES-5 (officially confirmed) The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 516 1972 Intact High orbited 1972 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union RORSAT 1973 Destroyed - Launch failure over Pacific Ocean, near Japan Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 626 1973 Intact Earth orbit Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 651 1974 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 654 1974 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 723 1975 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 724 1975 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 785 1975 Destroyed - Failed after reaching orbit Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 860 1976 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 861 1976 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 952 1977 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 954 1977 Destroyed - Exploded on re-entry 1978 (over Canada) Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1176 1980 Intact Earth orbit 11788/11971 Earth orbit 870–970 km Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1249 1981 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1266 1981 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1299 1981 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1402 1982 Destroyed - Earth re-entry 1983 (South Atlantic) Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1372 1982 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1365 1982 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1412 1982 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1461 1983 Destroyed - Earth orbit, exploded Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [3]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1597 1984 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1607 1984 Intact Earth orbit High orbited 1985 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1670 1985 Intact Earth orbit High orbited 1985 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1677 1985 Intact Earth orbit High orbited 1985 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1736 1986 Intact Earth orbit High orbited 1986 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1771 1986 Intact Earth orbit High orbited 1986 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1900 1987 Intact Earth orbit Earth orbit, 454 mile altitude Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13][12]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1860 1987 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1932 1988 Intact Earth orbit 800–900 km Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1682 1985 Intact Earth orbit High orbited 1986 Fission reactor BES-5 The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 2 kWe [13]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1818 (RORSAT) 1987 Destroyed - Destroyed in high Earth orbit Fission reactor Topaz-I The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 5 kWe [14]
 Soviet Union Kosmos 1867 (RORSAT) 1987 Intact Earth Parked in high Earth orbit Fission reactor Topaz-I The element Chemistry:uranium does not exist. 5 kWe [15]
 Soviet Union Lunokhod 201 1969-02-19 Destroyed - Rocket exploded at launch, radioactive material from RHU spread over Russia RHU The element Chemistry:polonium does not exist. [16]
 Soviet Union Lunokhod 1 1970 Intact Lunar surface RHU The element Chemistry:polonium does not exist. [16]
 Soviet Union Lunokhod 2 1973 Intact Lunar surface RHU The element Chemistry:polonium does not exist. [16]
 Russia Mars 96 1996 Destroyed - Launch failure, entered Pacific Ocean RHU RHU (4) The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. [16]
 China Chang'e 3 lander 2013 In use Lunar surface RHU In combination with solar panels allows continued use of the Lunar-based ultraviolet telescope The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. [17]

[18]

 China Yutu rover 2013 Intact Lunar surface RHU Communication lost in 2015 The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist.
 China Chang'e 4 lander 2019 In use Lunar surface RHU The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. [19]
 China Yutu-2 rover 2019 In use Lunar surface RHU The element Chemistry:plutonium does not exist. [19]
 India Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module 2023 In use Earth orbit RHU BARC RHU, transferred back from lunar orbit after lander mission completion 241Am 2 Wt [20]
 USA BOHR 2026-07-07 In use Earth orbit First commercial nuclear-powered satellite and first nuclear CubeSat. Betavoltaic NanoTritium Batteries The element Chemistry:hydrogen does not exist. [21][22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 "Atomic Power in Space II: A History 2015". Idaho National Laboratory. September 2015. https://www.inl.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/AtomicPowerInSpaceII-AHistory_2015_Appendices-References1.pdf. Retrieved 13 June 2018. 
  2. ↑ "Transit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130124081854/http://www.astronautix.com/project/transit.htm. Retrieved 2013-05-07. 
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Hagen, Regina (November 8, 1998). "Nuclear Powered Space Missions - Past and Future". http://www.space4peace.org/ianus/npsm3.htm. Retrieved 13 June 2018. 
  4. ↑ David M. Harland (2011). Apollo 12 - On the Ocean of Storms. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 269. ISBN 978-1-4419-7607-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=vgrGPWSy4PgC&pg=PA269. 
  5. ↑ mars.nasa.gov. "Electrical Power" (in en). https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/electrical-power/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bennett, Gary L. (August 6, 1989). "A LOOK AT THE SOVIET SPACE NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM". International Forum on Energy Engineering (NASA Propulsion, Power and Energy Division) IECEC-89. https://fas.org/nuke/space/sovspace.pdf. Retrieved 25 June 2018. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Sven Grahn. "The US-A program (Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellites)". http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/trackind/RORSAT/RORSAT.html. Retrieved 2020-05-12. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The 2014 NASA Nuclear Power Assessment Study (NPAS): Safety, Environmental Impact, and Launch Approval Considerations and Findings". https://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/power_technology/NPAS_SafetyPresentation.pdf. 
  9. ↑ Encyclopedia Astronautica article on the US-A RORSAT programme.
  10. ↑ "USSR - Luna Programme". http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/Luna/Luna.php. 
  11. ↑ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1969-092A. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Top 10 Space Age Radiation Incidents". 20 January 2012. https://listverse.com/2012/01/20/top-10-space-age-radiation-incidents/amp/. 
  13. ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 13.20 13.21 13.22 13.23 13.24 13.25 13.26 13.27 13.28 13.29 13.30 "US-A". Mark Wade. 14 September 2007. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/usa.htm. Retrieved 13 June 2018. 
  14. ↑ "Old Russian Nuclear Satellite Returns". http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Old_Russian_Nuclear_Satellite_Returns_999.html. Retrieved 2016-02-23. 
  15. ↑ Lardier, Christian; Barensky, Stefan (March 27, 2018). The Proton Launcher: History and Developments. Wiley-ISTE. ISBN 978-1786301765. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Karacalıoğlu, Göktuğ (January 6, 2014). "Energy Resources for Space Missions". Space Safety Magazine. http://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/2014/01/16/energy-resources-space-missions/. Retrieved January 18, 2014. 
  17. ↑ SUN, ZeZhou; JIA, Yang; ZHANG, He (November 2013). "Technological advancements and promotion roles of Chang'e-3 lunar probe mission" (PDF). Science China 56 (11): 2702–2708. doi:10.1007/s11431-013-5377-0. Bibcode: 2013ScChE..56.2702S. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140329104235/http://tech.scichina.com:8082/sciEe/EN/article/downloadArticleFile.do?attachType=PDF&id=512308. Retrieved 25 December 2013. 
  18. ↑ "Chang'e-3 - Satellite Missions". ESA. https://earth.esa.int/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/c-missions/chang-e-3. Retrieved 12 June 2018. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 China Shoots for the Moon's Far Side . (PDF) IEEE.org. 2018.
  20. ↑ "Nuclear energy keeps Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module going". The Times of India. 2023-10-31. ISSN 0971-8257. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/nuclear-energy-keeps-chandrayaan-3-propulsion-module-going/articleshow/104834737.cms?from=mdr. 
  21. ↑ Dinner, Josh (7 July 2026). "SpaceX just launched the 1st-ever nuclear-powered commercial satellite". https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-just-launched-the-1st-ever-nuclear-powered-commercial-satellite. 
  22. ↑ "City Labs to Launch First Nuclear-Powered Satellite, BOHR". https://citylabs.net/first-commercial-nuclear-powered-satellite-aboard-spacex-transporter-17/. 

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