Which specific radioactive material served as the fuel source for the SNAP device aboard the Transit 4A satellite?
Answer
Plutonium-238
The power unit installed on the Transit 4A satellite was a specific type of SNAP device configured as an RTG. This system relied on the consistent heat generated by the slow, predictable decay of a specific radioactive isotope to produce electricity. The fuel source identified for this RTG application was Plutonium-238. The success of using Plutonium-238 decay heat proved the viability of low-risk, passive nuclear power generation in the space environment. This is contrasted with a fission reactor like SNAP-10A, which utilizes a controlled chain reaction rather than relying solely on natural radioactive decay.
Related Questions
What power source was utilized by the US Navy's Transit 4A satellite launched in 1961?What was the approximate electrical power output generated by the SNAP-10A fission reactor during its operational test in 1965?Which specific radioactive material served as the fuel source for the SNAP device aboard the Transit 4A satellite?What fundamental operational difference exists between the RTG on Transit 4A and the SNAP-10A fission reactor regarding control?What was the primary technological role or mission objective of the SNAP-10A flight in 1965?Which issue made traditional solar arrays unsuitable for long-term navigation and deep-space probes?What event is considered the starting point for 60 years of nuclear power usage in spacecraft, according to the text?How did the engineering complexity and resource demands of the SNAP-10A fission system compare to the RTG used on Transit 4A?What characteristic defines the lifespan potential of RTG technology, as exemplified by the Transit 4A power unit?What critical safety feature was designed into the SNAP-10A reactor system before its operation ended after 43 minutes?