IDAHO FALLS, Id. — The Idaho National Laboratory is helping to prep a special NASA mission 880 million miles from earth.
In July 2028, Dragon Fly will launch towards Saturn’s moon Titan to investigate the planet's habitability for water- or hydrocarbon-based life.
The first-of-its kind rotorcraft will be equipped with a radioisotope power system, also known as RPS, that's being assembled and tested in Idaho Falls.
An RPS is described as "a nuclear battery, converting thermal energy from the decay of plutonium-238 into electricity."
Its job is to keep the system warm in space to support scientific instruments, robotic arms, computers, radios and drive systems.
For more information on the project, click here.
