The Voyager 1 spacecraft, the first man-made object to leave our solar system, is powered by electricity

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The Voyager 1 spacecraft, the first man-made object to leave our solar system, is powered by electricity generated by the heat produced when 23894Pu decays with a half-life of 87.75 y. Engineers predict that the spacecraft will have insufficient power to operate its instruments when the amount of 23894Pu in its power generators drops below 68% of the amount it had at launch on September 5, 1977. In what year will its instruments cease to function?

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Physics

ISBN: 978-0321976444

5th edition

Authors: James S. Walker

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