Artist's impression of a probe exploring the rings of Saturn. The probe is powered by the SP-100 nuclear reactor, the core of which is only cubic
Artist's impression of a probe exploring the rings of Saturn. The probe is powered by the SP-100 nuclear reactor, the core of which is only cubic metres in size. SP-100 was originally designed under the US Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, or 'Star Wars') programme. It is a 100 kW reactor, which uses liquid sodium as its coolant. The sodium is heated by the reactor, then pumped through a thermoelectric generator. Excess heat is disposed of through radiators. SP-100 will be of use in distant solar system exploration, as the light from the sun at such distances is too weak to power solar cells.
Size: 3543px × 2750px
Photo credit: © US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 16, body, endoscopic, endoscopy, fetal, fetus, foetal, human, image, sixteen, thumb, week, weeks
