Next-Generation Radioisotope Power System to Enable Space Domain Awareness

Currently available power sources inhibit the DoD’s ability to operate in austere environments due to power constraints, vulnerable logistics and fuel supply chains, or domain limitations in the area of operability. In order to increase the energy security of DoD operations – whether this is in space, on the ground, or undersea – there must be a long-endurance, low maintenance, resilient power source that has the flexibility to generate “plug-and-play” power across operational domains and environments. This is the future that we’re building at Zeno. At Zeno, we are developing a next-generation radioisotope power system (RPS) that generates always-on, resilient power for years at a time. Historically, RPSs have been prohibitively expensive or heavy for broad commercialization. Our novel design results in a system that is affordable and lightweight. In this effort, we will adapt and enhance our RPS for Air Force defense use by increasing the power output and integrating a power distribution system based on Air Force / Space Force end-user feedback.