AdvertisementThe Plutonium Problem: Who Pays For Space Fuel?November 08, 2011Nell GreenfieldboycefacebookEmailNASA's next Mars rover, Curiosity, seen in this artist's rendering, will use 8 pounds of plutonium-238 as its power supply. That's a significant portion of the remaining space fuel. NASA and the Department of Energy have offered to split the costs of producing the fuel, but Congress has so far opposed that arrangement. (NASA)