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>The NASA OIG's report [PDF] reviews NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) program, which began in 2010 with the goal of developing next-generation power systems for spacecraft

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i wonder if they can scale the "surface model" down to fit on spacecraft... assuming they're talking about probes. 10 kilowatts is not necessary.

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https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/demonstration-proves-nuclear-fission-system-can-provide-space-exploration-power

​Kilopower is a small, lightweight fission power system capable of providing up to 10 kilowatts of electrical power - enough to run several average households - continuously for at least 10 years. Four Kilopower units would provide enough power to establish an outpost.

The prototype power system uses a solid, cast uranium-235 reactor core, about the size of a paper towel roll. Passive sodium heat pipes transfer reactor heat to high-efficiency Stirling engines, which convert the heat to electricity.

Both projets mentionned are just radioisotope power? Surely we can do better than that.

NASA is a hot mess period. If it weren’t for Musk & Bezos they’d have to beg the Russians for rides.

There's a reason you use zinc-air batteries to power a hearing aid and not an internal combustion engine. "Better" doesn't mean "more power".

They developed the commercial cargo and commercial crew programs so that they could divert funding to the moon program. They could have easily continued the shuttle program if that was their focus.

Bezos ? He can't even reach orbit.

What orbital service is Bezos currently providing?

Not only is he years late on his orbital rocket. His inability to deliver functioning engines on time is also grounding rockets of other companies!

>If it weren’t for Musk & Bezos

SpaceX was built on NASA contracts like the original resupply missions, they won that contract before Falcon 9 had made its first flight. Its as odd as saying if it was not for Boeing and Lockheed Martin the airforce would not be able to fly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Resupply_Services

Had SpaceX not been in the crew program that would have gone to Sierra Nevadas Dream Chaser and Boeings Starliner (the later having now built a system to fly NASA contracted astronauts. ).

I still want the nuclear reactor-powered cars I was promised.