Solar Spirit | Green Energy News

January 11, 2004 – Vol.8 No.42

SOLAR SPIRIT.

Early discussions of planning for the Mars mission noted that nuclear energy would be needed to generate power on the surface. Solar energy on Mars would not work because the planet is too far from the sun. Yet, the current technology already driving around the dusty, rocky surface of the Red Planet tells a different story. So far solar and Mars are a good match.

The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) better known as Spirit, and its soon-to-land sister Opportunity, each have 1.3 square meters of triple junction solar cells from Spectrolab that provide up to 140 watts of power for 4 hours in mid-sol day. Of that, 100 watts goes to move the critters through wheel hub motors.

The reliability and ruggedness of solar probably won’t be ignored in Mars planning. And solar, too, has the built-in redundancy required for exploration far from home. If one cell fails the next is probably working. Improved solar technology could make up for the far-from-the-sun deficiencies.

If nuclear power is chosen, not one reactor, but a number of them to meet the redundancy requirement, would be taken on a trip that would take as long as three years with 18 months on the surface of Mars.

Spectrolab, a division of Boeing, has built solar cells for more than 500 satellites and currently has more than 325 kilowatts of solar power in orbit around the Earth and another 800 kilowatts installed on spacecraft awaiting launch. Visit Spectrolab at http://www.spectrolab.com/ .