Europe’s upcoming Mars mission will use a pioneering nuclear-powered device that harnesses the radioactive decay of americium to keep its components warm — a first for spacecraft.The European Space Agency (ESA) announced the plans on 16 May, alongside details of an agreement with NASA that crystallized the US agency’s contribution to the long-delayed mission, which will deliver Europe’s first Mars rover, called Rosalind Franklin. ESA was originally working with Russian space agency Roscosmos on ...