Robot speeds up production of plutonium spacecraft fuel

By Emma Stoye2019-01-18T15:22:00

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have automated part of the process of producing plutonium-238

Source: © Genevieve Martin and Jenny Woodbery/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Radioisotope synthesis quadrupled by robot in bid to reach Nasa target

A crucial step in the production of plutonium-238 – an important fuel source for long-range space exploration – has been automated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US. The new technology has been designed to speed up production and enable Oak Ridge to supply the 1.5kg of plutonium Nasa has asked for by 2025.