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Re:The Webb Telescope Further Deepens the Biggest Controvers... by AprilArcus on Tuesday August 13, 2024 @12:02PM (#41236712)
They'd need some very big RTGs to last that long, and I don't think we manufacture plutonium at the necessary volumes for that anymore.
Re:The Webb Telescope Further Deepens the Biggest Controvers... by KennyBlanken on Tuesday August 13, 2024 @12:39PM (#41237030)
Last I remember, RTG manufacturing was very constrained, period. And that was before Russia took a massive shit in Ukraine and got themselves embargo'd by most of the rest of the developed world.
Re:The Webb Telescope Further Deepens the Biggest Controvers... by ars on Tuesday August 13, 2024 @02:22PM (#41237984)
I would use Americium-241 instead, longer half life and much more availability.

Lower power, but a telescope like this does not need constant power, so some kind of short term power storage (capacitor I would assume, or some kind of ultra long life battery) could handle that.

Re:The Webb Telescope Further Deepens the Biggest Controvers... by fsckboy on Tuesday August 13, 2024 @04:30PM (#41239469)
in terms of the potential plutonium shortage, wikipedia: Americium-241 is not synthesized directly from uranium – the most common reactor material – but from the plutonium isotope 239. The latter needs to be produced first