inherently radiation resistant, whereas the solar-cell power system of Transit 4B had been adversely affected by a 1962 high-altitude nuclear explosion [6]. Each 12.3-kg SNAP-9A was designed to provide 25 We at a nominal 6 V for 5 years in space after 1 year of storage on Earth [7]. One of the objectives of the Transit 5BN program was to demonstrate the satisfactory operation and long-life potential of the SNAP-9A power supply. The Applied Physics Laboratory, which built the satellites, reported that the objective was fully satisfied. In fact, Transit ‘5BN-1 demonstrated the extreme simplicity with which thermoelectric generators may be integrated into the design, not only to provide the electrical power but also to aid in thermal control' [4]. Some waste heat from the RTG was used to maintain electronic instruments within the satellite at a temperature near 293 K. SNAP-19 The SNAP-19 technology-improvement program built on the SNAP-9A development program, with the SNAP-19B power source specifically designed for use on NASA's
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