Which risk increases when a spacecraft's radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) degrades?

💡 Explanation

Power output declines because beta decay weakens the thermoelectric conversion efficiency. Therefore, power degrades exponentially rather than linearly, and coolant leaks are related to design, not decay; radiation patterns are stable.

• Which outcome results within a polymer when exceeding cross-linking density limits?
• During anisotropic material analysis with polarized light microscopy, which outcome indicates regions of high birefringence?
• Which outcome occurs when catalyst surface area drastically decreases within packed bed reactor column?
• Which outcome is observed when light traverses near large gravitational fields?
• Which outcome occurs when supercritical fluid enters a throttling valve?
• Which outcome occurs when rapid hydrogen evolution surpasses diffusion rates in steel?