Technology term
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG)
A device that converts the heat released by the natural radioactive decay of a material, such as plutonium-238, directly into electricity, with no moving parts. Spacecraft traveling far from the Sun, such as Voyager 1 and 2 and other outer-planet missions, rely on RTGs because solar panels become impractical at those distances. Output declines gradually each year as the radioactive fuel decays.
English
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG)
Arabic
مولد كهروحراري نظائري مشع (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator، RTG)
First appeared in
NASA Bought Voyager 2 Another Year of Life With an Engineering Move Called the "Big Bang"
