Nuclear Batteries
Energy Recovery from Nuclear Waste Generated by the French Nuclear Industry

A spacecraft traveling through space can use solar energy when its distance from the Sun allows it. However, for space missions to the outer reaches of the solar system, there is insufficient solar energy available, so other energy sources must be used. Since these journeys can last a very long time, the use of electrochemical batteries is not a viable solution. The same applies to chemical reactions (such as the combustion of petroleum), since both the fuel (petroleum) and the oxidizer (oxygen) must be carried on board. Therefore, reliable, compact, and long-lasting energy sources are needed. Nuclear batteries meet this need.