Solar Power More Feasible Than Nuclear For Human Colonies On Mars, Study Says
The team's model suggests that as long as the crew stayed near Mars' sun-rich equator, solar energy would be superior to nuclear fission systems to generate energy
Astronauts who end up living on Mars would be better off using solar power instead of nuclear energy, scientists say. Researchers found that solar energy is a superior option for Martian crews that intend to camp near the Red Planet's equator.
A six-person Mars mission could be powered by photovoltaic systems (solar cells), researchers concluded. These photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity.
Researchers added that human crews on Mars could clean the solar panels themselves, effectively eliminating the problem of dust buildup that has wreaked havoc on Mars spacecraft over the years.
iStock
Why living near Mars' equator matters
The team's model suggests that as long as the crew stayed near Mars' sun-rich equator, solar energy would be superior to nuclear fission systems to generate energy.
Of course, the model runs on some assumptions. For starters, it assumes that solar energy would be stored on site using a compressed hydrogen energy system. This too, is based on the idea that hydrogen would be available to mine on Mars.
"Nearer the equator, solar wins out; nearer the poles, nuclear wins," study co-lead author Aaron Berliner from the University of California, Berkeley, said in a statement.
Sci-News
Also read: Scientists Detect Two Largest 'Marsquakes' To Ever Rock The Red Planet
Astronauts would have trouble staying on Martian poles where environments are rather extreme for astronauts. There would be less sunlight and more radical temperature shifts at Mars' poles than at its equator.
The study's goal was get a better idea of how much solar radiation reaches the Martian surface, based on which solar arrays would be deployed.
NASA
These solar arrays would use electricity to "split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, with the hydrogen being put into pressurized vessels for storage," Space.com reported. Later, hydrogen would be "electrified within fuel cells to produce power."
Also read: IISc, ISRO Develop Scalable Method To Make Space Bricks Using Mars Soil
Reuters
Scientists also say that surplus hydrogen could be repurposed to generate plant-fertilising ammonia, as long as hydrogen is combined with nitrogen the same way it's done on Earth.
The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences on April 27.
What do you think about solar energy on Mars? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
References
Abel, A. J. (2022). Photovoltaics-Driven Power Production Can Support Human Exploration on Mars. Frontiers.
Howell, E. (2022b, April 27). Solar power is better than nuclear for astronauts on Mars, study suggests. Space.Com.
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