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It can generate power by using Seebeck generator which is a solid state device that converts heat flux directly into electrical energy through a phenomenon called Seebeck effect.

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A common RTG application is spacecraft power supply. SNAP units (Systems Nuclear Auxiliary Power) are used for spacecraft travel far from the sun.
such as:
1. Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11
2. Voyager 1, Voyager 2
3. Galileo
4. Ulysses
5. Cassini
6. New Horizons
7. Apollo 12 - Apollo 17
8. Viking Landers
9. Nimbus, LES, Transit satellites.

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Thermoelectric materials generate electricity while in a temperature gradient. In order to be a good thermoelectric, materials must have the unique combination of both high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity: a rare set of properties for one material to hold.
Anything—steam, for instance—will flow from hot to cold in a temperature gradient. In a thermoelectric material, electrons do the same thing. The extent to which electrons flow from hot to cold in an applied temperature gradient is governed by the Seebeck coefficient, also known as the thermopower.
In order for a thermoelectric to establish a large voltage while in a temperature gradient, its thermal conductivity must be low. This ensures that when one side is made hot, the other side stays cold.

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RTGs work by converting heat from the natural decay of radioisotope materials into electricity. RTGs consist of two major elements: a heat source that contains plutonium-238 (Pu-238) and solid-state thermocouples that convert the plutonium’s decay heat energy to electricity.

When an atom undergoes radioactive decay the kinetic energy of the emitted particles is converted into thermal energy. This thermal energy is then applied to the “hot side” of a thermocouple and the “cool side” is kept as cool as possible (with the use of a heat sink). The result is the generation of an EMF across the thermocouple which can be directly used as an electrical source.

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RTG applies a much different technique than that used by nuclear power stations on Earth. That process is called fission and gets very high efficiency rates by literally "splitting" unstable radioactive materials (such as uranium) into smaller parts. Fission generates very large amounts of heat but is much more complex and not as reliable as simply using the heat produced by radioactive decay. Basically, fission gives you a huge release of energy and uses fuel rapidly. An RTG gives a steadier and much smaller amount of energy.

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The Seebeck effect is a phenomenon in which a temperature difference between two dissimilar electrical conductors or semiconductors produces a voltage difference between the two substances. When heat is applied to one of the two conductors or semiconductors, heated electrons flow toward the cooler one. If the pair is connected through an electrical circuit, direct current (DC) flows through that circuit. The Seebeck effect is responsible for the behavior of thermocouples.

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A Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG, RITEG) is an electrical generator with no moving parts, that acts like tiny power plants that can be used like very long lasting batteries. The electricity is constantly generated from the heat produced by a decaying radioactive core. It uses the fact that radioactive materials (such as plutonium) generate heat as they decay into non-radioactive materials. The heat used is converted into electricity by an array of thermocouples by the Seebeck effect which is then used to power the spacecraft.

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HOW DOES HEAT PRODUCES POWER (ELECTRICITY) ON A SPACECRAFT?

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HOW DOES HEAT PRODUCES POWER (ELECTRICITY) ON A SPACECRAFT?

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Space exploration missions require safe, reliable, long-lived power systems to provide electricity and heat to spacecraft and their science instruments. There are two main methods on how to generate power (electricity) for a spacecraft using heat.

1. First of all, thermoelectric generators can be used to do so.

These generators take a temperature difference and turn it into electrical power.The larger the temperature difference, the more electrical current is produced and therefore more power is generated.

Source from: https://powerpractical.com/pages/how-do-thermoelectrics-work

2. Secondly, a flight-proven capable source of power is the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG)—essentially a nuclear battery that reliably converts heat into electricity.

Source from: https://rps.nasa.gov/resources/58/

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Dependent on phenomena that involves relations between the temperature and electrical condition in a metal or in contacting metal

Environmental radiation in space (from the Sun, etc.) and operational thermal loads result in heat flows inside the structure of satellites. Today these heat flows remain unused and are collected, transported to a radiator and emitted to space to prevent the satellite from overheating, but they hold a huge potential to generate electrical power independently of solar panels. Thermoelectric generators are a promising approach for such applications because of their solid state characteristics. As they do not have any moving parts, they do not cause any vibrations in the satellite. They are said to be maintenance-free and highly reliable. Due to the expected small heat flows modern devices based on BiTe have to be considered, but these devices have no flight heritage. Furthermore, energy harvesting on space systems is a new approach for increasing the efficiency and reliability. In this paper, different systems studies and applications are discussed based some experimental characterisation of the electrical behaviour and their dependence on thermal cycles and vibration.

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Thermoelectric power generation - thermoelectric power generator

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Thermoelectric power generation using a Tellurex Z-max thermoelectric module. By applying heat, we create a temperature difference across the two services of the thermoelectric module, resulting in enough power to energize the light connected to the thermoelectric module.

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One of the source of power for spacecraft is from the Heat. Please find all necessary info on this Power source. You should define what is thermoelectric. How can heat generate power? find an example of spacecraft use heat. What is RTG? how RTG works. Everyone in the group should contribute