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Published in the November 2004 issue of Popular Mechanics.
For the first time in four decades, NASA has firm plans to launch a nuclear reactor. To put its Prometheus plan into action, the space agency, along with the Department of Energy (DOE), has devised a spacecraft and proposed a mission.
One of Galileo's two RTGs undergoes some of the myriad tests for safety and operations.
The need for electrical energy in Space is obvious. Currently, levels of 100-500 watts are needed for small satellites while human presence will require 10's of kWe and Lunar (or Mars) bases will require 1-2 MWe.
The Galileo mission will be the 24th U.S. space mission since 1961 to be powered partially or totally by nuclearpower sources.
