| has gloss | eng: The Stirling radioisotope generator (SRG) is based on a Stirling engine powered by a large radioisotope heater unit. The hot end of the Stirling converter reaches high temperature and heated helium drives the piston, heat being rejected at the cold end of the engine. A generator or alternator converts the motion into electricity. This Stirling converter produces about four times as much electric power from the plutonium fuel than a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). The Stirling generators have been extensively tested but have not yet been deployed on actual missions. |
