Pushing Through to Pluto

Radioisotope Power Systems, or RPS, are power systems that are created by converting heat outputted by decaying Plutonium-238 into electricity. RPS allow missions taking place in harsh environments without access to sunlight, to be powered for decades. Quite recently, scientists discovered that cryovolcanoes erupting molten ice were a factor in the creation of Pluto’s unique surface features, and that they were erupting until quite recently. As Pluto is forty times as far away from the Sun as the Earth is, solar panels would not be the best way to provide power to the mission; RPS would be needed. By using ice-penetrating technology on a flyby or orbiter, we could learn about the creation of Pluto’s geological features and the part cryovolcanoes played in it, and confirm if these volcanoes are still active. Taking risks and trying new things can be hard, but that’s where my power of grit comes into play. Though it can be scary, I push through any challenge that stands in my way. Sending a mission to Pluto will be extremely difficult and risky, and will, with no doubt, come with its challenges. But when they do, we’ll know exactly how to combat them to succeed.