Image:RTG radiation measurement.jpg

Environmental Health Specialist Jamie A. Keeley, of EG&G Florida Inc., uses an ion chamber dose rate meter to measure radiation levels in one of three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) that will provide electrical power to the Cassini spacecraft on its mission to explore the Saturnian system. The three RTGs and one spare are being tested and monitored in the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Storage Building in the KSC's Industrial Area. The RTGs use heat from the natural decay of plutonium to generate electric power. RTGs enable spacecraft to operate far from the Sun where solar power systems are not feasible. The RTGs on Cassini are of the same design as those flying on the already deployed Galileo and Ulysses spacecraft. The Cassini mission is targeted for an Oct. 6 launch aboard a Titan IVB/Centaur expendable launch vehicle.

External radiation inspection of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft's Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators.

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=522

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/payload/missions/cassini/images/captions/KSC-97EC-0903.html http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/payload/missions/cassini/images/high/KSC-97EC-0903.jpg

May 17, 1997

Unknown

No copyright protection is asserted for this photograph. If a recognizable person appears in this photograph, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA employees of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that might mislead. Accordingly, it is requested that if this photograph is used in advertising and other commercial promotion, layout and copy be submitted to NASA prior to release. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration