Re: Nuclear Batteries -Reply

[m.broderick1@genie.geis.com]

I'm not sure how it relates to SNAP, but the Soviets used (and presumably
the Russians use) a reactor known as TOPAZ to power satellites which use a
powerful radar for ocean surveillance. It works on thermionics, where heat
from uranium pellets causes Molybdenum to lose elctrons which generate
current by flowing to a coooler collecter. This fits vaguely with my
memories of SNAP, but I don't know details of how SNAP works--I think it
used something other than Uranium. It was this type of reactor that came to
Earth twice around 1980. A good reference is a book called Guardians, by
Curtis Peebles. It is about reconnaisance satellites, including this one.
 Bye
 Mike