Fission Generator

Fission generators predate human space travel by almost twenty years. The basic principle remains unchanged. Fissile material, such as Uranium 235 or Plutonium 239, is bombarded with neutrons, causing it to split into lighter elements. The event releases gamma radiation, kinetic energy (heat), and more neutrons, which produce a sustained or chain reaction. Heat and radiation are typically used to heat water into steam, which is then used to rotate turbines and produce electricity, although the principles of direct conversion used in fusion reactors are just as applicable.