New Power System Concept Could Enable Farther Deep Space Travel
NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has selected a study by researcher Keunhan Park from the University of Utah to develop a next-generation power system for interstellar missions.
The proposed plasmon-enhanced radioisotope thermophotovoltaic (PRTPV) generator aims to address a critical challenge in deep space exploration: generating reliable, high-efficiency power at vast distances from the Sun where solar energy becomes impractical.
Current missions like Voyager and Perseverance rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which convert heat from radioactive decay into electricity. The PRTPV concept seeks to significantly improve upon this technology by leveraging plasmonics—using nanoscale structures to enhance light-matter interactions—to achieve substantially higher performance metrics.
The team targets a specific power of 17 W/kg, compared to roughly 3–5 W/kg for conventional RTGs. They also aim for thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency exceeding 40%, which would roughly double the efficiency of current radioisotope power systems.
Higher specific power means less mass required per unit of power output, enabling more capable spacecraft or longer mission durations with the same fuel supply. For interstellar missions requiring decades or centuries of operation, such improvements could prove transformative.
The research remains in early stages as a NIAC Phase I study, with further development needed before the technology could be considered for actual mission implementation.