Rtgs Vs Solar Panels

Two alternatives rtg or solar were investigated in the mars science laboratory environmental impact statement.

Rtgs vs solar panels.

Rtgs are usually the most desirable power source for unmaintained situations that need a few hundred watts or less of power for durations too long for fuel cells batteries or generators to provide economically and in places where solar cells are not practical. 1 solar panels can be made with safe readily available materials while rtgs require fuels that are difficult to safely handle and which are in limited and highly regulated supply. Radioisotope thermoelectric generators rtgs the rtg systems are ideal for applications where solar panels cannot supply adequate power such as for spacecraft surveying planets far from the sun. Rtgs or even reactors whch have more power solar is useless in comparsion for deep space at current tech levels or if a mission needs a lot of power.

Many long term campers like to install solar panels but then also have a small generator as a backup for those cloudy days when the solar power isn t quite enough. Rtgs are used on nasa missions where other options such as solar power are impractical or incapable of providing the power that a mission may need to accomplish its scientific or operational goals. Solar panels are very effective on clear days but less efficient on cloudy days although they do still work contrary to popular belief. The mars exploration rovers spirit and opportunity obtained all their electrical power from solar panels.

Rtgs have been used on many national aeronautics and space administration nasa missions including the following. In summary solar arrays would limit the msl to operate between 5 n and 20 n and for one martian year only if at exactly 15 n whereas rtgs would permit it to operate for at least one martian year anywhere from 60 s to 60 n. The panasonic n series of panels are a good quality solar panel with a top efficiency on their 330 watt monocrystalline system of 19 7 and a very impressive temperature coefficient of 0 29 a figure which is equal best with the market leader sunpower.