Future Power Solutions for Exploring Hypothesized Surfaces – RTG Stirling Hybrid

INSTITUTION

University of Georgia (UGA)

CLASS

Platinum Class (2025 – 2026)

STUDENT TEAM

ACADEMIC GUIDANCE

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This concept integrates a Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) with a Stirling engine
conversion module to provide continuous electrical power to a Psyche surface lander operating
in extreme thermal and illumination conditions.
The RTG serves as the primary heat source, utilizing the decay heat from plutonium-238 (or
thorium-based isotope alternatives) to maintain steady thermal output. Instead of relying solely
on thermoelectric conversion (as in traditional RTGs), this system incorporates a Stirling heat
engine that drives a linear alternator, significantly increasing overall power conversion efficiency
from ~6% to up to 20–25%.

Key design elements:

• Hermetically sealed Stirling units to ensure long-term reliability in vacuum.
• Redundant radiator arrays optimized for Psyche’s low-gravity and high-reflectivity
  surface.
• Passive thermal management using heat pipes and high-emissivity coatings.
• Shadow-shielded configuration to protect onboard electronics and instruments from
  radiation.
• Modular design allowing one or multiple Stirling converters per RTG core for scalable
  output (e.g., 200 W–2 kW).

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This work was created in partial fulfillment of the University of Georgia Capstone Course “MCHE 4910.” The work is a result of the Psyche Student Collaborations component of NASA’s Psyche Mission (https://psyche.ssl.berkeley.edu). “Psyche: A Journey to a Metal World” [Contract number NNM16AA09C] is part of the NASA Discovery Program mission to solar system targets. Trade names and trademarks of ASU and NASA are used in this work for identification only. Their usage does not constitute an official endorsement, either expressed or implied, by Arizona State University or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of ASU or NASA.