A South Australian-led additive manufacturing research partnership is moving to commercialise a next‑generation nuclear battery designed to power long‑duration space and defence missions.
Local nuclear engineering company entX has begun transitioning its GenX Betavoltaic Power Generator from prototype to pre‑commercial manufacture, as the first funded project through the national Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC).
The GenX device, developed in collaboration with Adelaide University, combines additive manufacturing and advanced surface engineering to deliver unprecedented power density in an ultra-compact form.
The technology surpasses traditional power sources, which struggle to provide continuous energy in environments where maintenance, refuelling or solar access is impractical – such as spacecrafts, unmanned underwater vehicles and remote defence surveillance systems.
entX General Manager for Space and Defence Dr Scott Edwards said reliable, maintenance‑free power remains one of the major constraints on operations in extreme environments.
“GenX fundamentally changes what’s possible,” Dr Edwards said. “By re‑engineering betavoltaics as ultra‑thin, additively manufactured devices, we’re achieving power densities that were previously out of reach and enabling entirely new mission profiles.”
Adelaide University will lead the scientific validation of the device and its manufacturing process. Professor Drew Evans, who helped develop the prototype, said the project represents a step‑change in nuclear battery design.
“By combining novel semiconductor deposition methods with additive manufacturing, we’ve demonstrated power densities that simply weren’t achievable using conventional approaches,” Professor Evans said.
Over the next 14 months, the partners will integrate key prototype processes, including physical vapour deposition used to form high‑efficiency electrical junctions, into a scalable production line at entX’s certified radiation facility in Adelaide.
Additive manufacturing will also be used to rapidly produce radiation‑shielded encasements for deployment in space and defence systems.
AMCRC Managing Director Simon Marriott said the $1.8 million project demonstrates how additive manufacturing can transform breakthrough research into scalable, commercially viable production.
“By supporting the transition from laboratory prototype to integrated production, AMCRC is helping Australian innovators bring world‑leading technologies to market faster and with lower risk,” Marriott said.
The project will deliver a world-first, high-power betavoltaic demonstrator, positioning entX and Australia at the forefront of high-power betavoltaic manufacturing.
It is the first project to be funded by the AMCRC, which was established in October 2025. The Defence Innovation Partnership is a proud member of the AMCRC, a $258 million, seven‑year, industry‑led partnership that aims to strengthen Australia’s additive manufacturing sector by building a comprehensive national ecosystem for research and commercialisation.
