Latvian startup Deep Space Energy is developing a compact radioisotope power generator that it says can deliver the same output as legacy space nuclear systems while using five times less fuel.
The company has raised €350,000 in pre-seed funding and secured an additional €580,000 in public contracts and grants to push the technology toward commercialization.
The system converts heat from radioactive decay into electricity. The heat source comes from radioisotopes extracted from commercial nuclear reactor waste, primarily Americium-241.
Unlike traditional radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which rely on thermocouples to convert heat into power, Deep Space Energy claims its architecture significantly improves fuel efficiency.
According to founder and CEO Mihails Ščepanskis, the company has already validated the technology in laboratory conditions.
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