IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY
The Space & Security Power Systems Facility
The Space & Security Power Systems Facility (SSPSF), which was built in 2004, manufactures nuclear batteries, properly termed radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which are used by NASA to provide heat and electricity to satellites and for deep space exploration. The RTGs are assembled in a specialized glove boxes and then undergo vibration testing to simulate lift-off conditions, mass properties determination, and thermal vacuum testing to simulate operating conditions in space. The DOE has moved to consolidate the manufacture and assembly of RTGs at the SSPSF. The facility's work is expected to reach $70 million by 2015, up from $18 million in 2005. In 2006 the INL's work benefited the NASA New Horizons Spacecraft's mission to Pluto. The DOE and NASA are developing a new generation of space battery, a Multi-Mission RTG (MMRTG). The INL has been assigned with the final assembly and testing of the battery, which is set to be utilized in a land rover mission to Mars in September 2009. The production of lunar surface power reactors may be assigned to INL.
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