Idaho National Laboratory Contributes to NASA's Dragonfly Mission to Titan

The Idaho National Laboratory is playing a vital role in the preparation of NASA's upcoming mission to Titan, Saturn’s moon, which is scheduled to launch in July 2028. The mission, named Dragonfly, aims to explore the moon’s potential for supporting water- or hydrocarbon-based life forms, located about 880 million miles from Earth.

Dragonfly will utilize a unique rotorcraft design, making it the first of its kind for such a mission. It will be powered by a radioisotope power system (RPS), currently being assembled and tested in Idaho Falls. The RPS, which functions like a nuclear battery, converts thermal energy from the decay of plutonium-238 into electricity. This system will maintain optimal temperatures in space, ensuring that scientific instruments, robotic arms, computers, radios, and drive systems operate effectively.