Latvian startup builds nuclear waste-powered system to generate electricity on the moon

Latvian startup Deep Space Energy is developing a compact radioisotope power generator designed to produce the same electrical output as traditional space nuclear systems while using five times less fuel. The system converts heat from radioactive decay—primarily Americium-241 extracted from commercial nuclear waste—into electricity, employing a novel architecture that improves fuel efficiency compared to conventional radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). The company has raised €350,000 in pre-seed funding and secured €580,000 in public contracts and grants, and has validated the technology in laboratory conditions. This reduction in fuel mass, from about 10 kg to 2 kg for generating 50 W of power, has significant implications for lowering launch costs and increasing payload capacity, especially for lunar missions where every kilogram can cost up to €1 million to send. Deep Space Energy targets applications in satellites operating in Medium Earth Orbit, Geostationary Orbit, and Highly Elliptical Orbit, where solar power is unreliable or insufficient