The DIPS concept proposed for Project Asterius uses a low power DIPS for power levels from 0.5-1.0 kW. This particular configuration has been developed by Rocketdyne under contract to NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications (Bent, 354). The reference design has a 0.5 kW, 30 V dc output, 12 year nominal lifetime, and weighs approximately 60 kg (Bents, 354). The desired length of the system is 137 cm and the width is 40 cm. The DIPS uses only about 27% of the isotope required to produce the same power with a GPHS RTG. [12]