NRC Tells Government It Needs to Restart Plutonium Production for NASA Space Missions Immediately

The National Research Council’s Space Studies Board and Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board have told NASA and the Department of Energy that it is imperative that production of plutonium-238 be restarted immediately if NASA’s plans for future space missions are to be met. NASA uses Pu-238 fueled devices to power spacecraft that travel too far from the Sun to use solar energy, or that will spend long times on lunar or planetary surfaces where sunlight is not always available.

Radioisotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration