But the more recent Curiosity and Perseverance rovers run on plutonium, in a system called a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG).
The InSight lander currently operating on the Red Planet and tasked with studying Mars’ interior is run by solar panels, as were the twin Spirit and Opportunity rovers earlier this century.
The fickle nature of solar power, with doesn’t run at night and is easily impeded by the ample red dust that covers the rusty surface of Mars, doesn’t make it very attractive.īut NASA does have experience with solar energy on Mars. Nuclear power offers a stable source of energy 24/7, and modern reactors can be miniaturized specifically for such missions to fit inside a spacecraft. If you want to keep a crew alive and well on Mars for more than a year, reliability is key. Artist impression of a Martian colony exclusively powered by solar panels. For a long time, the obvious choice seemed to be nuclear power, but a new study analyzed various power supply scenarios and found that solar panels are a better option, despite the unforgiving Martian environment.
NUCLEAR TIME TO MARS HOW TO
One of the biggest challenges is how to power all the life support systems, scientific instruments, and food and fuel manufacturing facilities there.
Building a functional settlement on Mars that can safely harbor and meet the needs of a small group of people for extended periods of time is orders of magnitude more challenging than anything the space industry has undertaken thus far.