Curiosty Martian Rover powered by Free piston Stirlings

[aero]

I assume you people are aware that the Curiosity 2000 lb. (on Earth) Martian rover that landed this morning is powered by Stirling generators heated by Plutonium reactors. Here is one of the links that discusses the free piston Stirling used by Nasa and the reactors but there are numerous others including manuals, trials, tests etc. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf82.html

[Jerry]

Thanks for the link! NASA's use of Stirling engines in space vehicles seems to me to be some of the best evidence there is that they can be used as an efficient power source. While I realize one of the main advantages is the ability to use any heat source, rather than needing to create a fuel with it's own oxy supply, the final decision on almost any space mission is based largely on weight to power efficiency. The fact they choose a free piston design indicates low maintenance is probably also high on the list of determining factors.

[Ian S C]

I have not checked, but I imagine that the other two vehicles (think at least one is still going), have a similar power supply, so could still be active for a number of years yet. I think this one is to go for two years, but that's proberbly a fraction of its possible endurance, barring accidents. Ian S C

[theropod2]

Voyager I and II have plutonium power sources, but the previous rovers to mars used solar power. I'm not sure the Voyager probes use Stirlings but rather thermocouples, I think.

R

[Ian S C]

Curiosity is using the thermoelectric generator, the stirling engine generator is to be used on the Saturn trip, or is it one of Saturn's moons. the TEG only puts out about 2.5kw per earth day, about 100W, the stirling engine is to be 2kw. Ian S C