Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS)

News & Articles

Two girls and a boy sit on a simulated display of the Martian surface.

Power to Explore STEM Writing Challenge

2 min read

The writing challenge invites K-12th grade students in the United States to learn about radioisotope power systems, a type of…

Topic
Engineers in cleanroom suits insert a cylindrical device into a spacecraft.

After 60 Years, Nuclear Power for Spaceflight is Still Tried and True

5 min read

Six decades after the launch of the first nuclear-powered space mission, NASA is embarking on a bold future of human…

Article2 weeks ago
Two girls and a boy sit on a simulated display of the Martian surface.

2024 NASA Power to Explore Contest Winners

6 min read

Thomas Liu, Rainie Lin, and Aadya Karthik won NASA's 2024 Power to Explore Student Essay Contest.

Topic
Thre children, a boy and two girls, sit on a model rock formation.

Perseverance Pays Off for Student Challenge Winners

3 min read

As radioisotopes power the Perseverance rover to explore Mars, perseverance “powered” three winners to write essays each year till they…

Article3 months ago

Here’s How Curiosity’s Sky Crane Changed the Way NASA Explores Mars

5 min read

Twelve years ago, NASA landed its six-wheeled science lab using a daring new technology that lowers the rover using a…

Article3 months ago

Here’s How AI Is Changing NASA’s Mars Rover Science

6 min read

Artificial intelligence is helping scientists to identify minerals within rocks studied by the Perseverance rover. Some scientists dream of exploring…

Article4 months ago