Title: Plutonium-238 - Wikipedia
Headings: Plutonium-238
Plutonium-238
Contents
History
Initial production
Human radiation experiments
Weapons
Use in radioisotope thermoelectric generators
Nuclear powered pacemakers
Production
U.S. production ceases and resumes
Applications
See also
References
External links

Content: Meanwhile, the first sample of plutonium-238 came to Mound in 1959. The weapons project was planned for about 1 kg/year of 238 Pu over a 3-year period. However, the 238 Pu component could not be produced to the specifications despite a 2-year effort beginning at Mound in mid-1961. A maximum effort was undertaken with 3 shifts a day, 6 days a week, and ramp-up of Savannah River's 238 Pu production over a 3-year period to about 20 kg/year. A loosening of the specifications resulted in productivity of about 3%, and production finally began in 1964. Use in radioisotope thermoelectric generators
Beginning on January 1, 1957, Mound Laboratories RTG inventors Jordan & Birden were working on an Army Signal Corps contract (R-65-8- 998 11-SC-03-91) to conduct research on radioactive materials and thermocouples suitable for the direct conversion of heat to electrical energy using polonium-210 as the heat source. In 1961, Capt. R. T. Carpenter had chosen 238 Pu as the fuel for the first RTG (radioisotope thermoelectric generator) to be launched into space as auxiliary power for the Transit IV Navy navigational satellite. By January 21, 1963, the decision had yet to be made as to what isotope would be used to fuel the large RTGs for NASA programs. Early in 1964, Mound Laboratories scientists developed a different method of fabricating the weapon component that resulted in a production efficiency of around 98%.