Thermal Isolator with Strong Mechanical Support for a Radioisotope Heating Unit

We have developed a suspension system using pre-tensioned titanium alloy wires to support a 1 Watt Radioisotope Heating Unit (RHU) for a mission to Mars. This suspension is very strong in all directions and has quite low thermal conduction between the RHU and its colder surroundings. This will allow the RHU to operate at 250 degreesC for generating electrical power from an attached thermoelectric converter (TEC) after surviving multiple 300 G impacts on the Martian surface. We have tested the Suspension under impact loads that have the same duration as the impacts expected from the air-bag cushions planned for the Mars mission. The suspension survives impacts of 500 G with the RHU canister at room temperature and at 250 degreesC. We calculate that with the RHU at 250 degreesC there will be only 86 mW of heat conducted through the support structure. This design in intended for use with multilayer insulation in a good vacuum. We estimate that the conduction through such insulation would be 75 mW. This leaves more than 800 mW of the heat from the RHU to flow through the TEC. yielding more than 40 mW of electrical power.