There are a bunch of radioisotope thermoelectric generators in space right now, ... | Hacker News

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Keyframe on July 24, 2009 | parent | context | favorite | on: Ion engine could one day power 39-day trips to Mar...

There are a bunch of radioisotope thermoelectric generators in space right now, cassini for instance.

ars on July 24, 2009 [–]

Those don't put out enough energy for this. You'd need an actual reactor.

And I remember reading that we are a little short on the right fuel for those right now, since it has not been manufactured in years.

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