China successfully tests Stirling engine in space.
China has successfully completed the first in-orbit test of a Stirling thermoelectric converter aboard the Tiangong-3 space station. The technology, which converts heat into electrical energy through a series of piston-driven magnets, is being investigated by NASA and is considered a technological solution to the challenges of space exploration. The Stirling power converter was developed by the Lanzhou Institute of Physics at the China Academy of Space Technology and could allow for long-duration stays on the moon and Mars when paired with a nuclear reactor as a power source.