RPS and My Goals For the Future

Radioisotope power systems are suppliers of electrical energy via radioactive isotopes. The thermal energy generated by the decay of radioactive isotopes such as Plutonium-238 is converted into energy by such processes. There are two types of radioisotope systems; Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs), which provide heat to insulate the electrical components of a spacecraft, as to protect them from the cold vacuum of space, and Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), which provide power and heat to a spacecraft (energy.gov). The fact that I find the most intriguing about RP systems is that they are incredibly versatile and resilient to the harsh conditions of outer space. These systems are almost as efficient as thermonuclear power, do not require maintenance, and some have even been in space for decades and are still fully operational. Furthermore, a unique power that I have is to strive to learn new things. I have taken the pursuit of knowledge seriously over a decade ago, where, at the age of 9, I was learning quantum mechanics, particle physics, and thermonuclear astrophysics on my own time. This hunger for knowledge is what drives me to construct big goals for my future, like a career as a theoretical physicist.