why solar power is over-rated

[Jack Ryan]

I had a fascinating discussion with a NASA engineer.
He said that one problem with a Mars mission is that
dust would make solar panels useless in as little as
3 months!
They would like radioisotope thermoelectric generators
instead but they are politically incorrect now.

[McAvity]

Post by Jack Ryan
I had a fascinating discussion with a NASA engineer.
He said that one problem with a Mars mission is that
dust would make solar panels useless in as little as
3 months!
They would like radioisotope thermoelectric generators
instead but they are politically incorrect now.

So would I. I had to get up on the roof and hose and brush down my solar
panels last week. At least on Mars they don't get bird shit building up
on them.

[Trevor Wilson]

Post by Jack Ryan
I had a fascinating discussion with a NASA engineer.
He said that one problem with a Mars mission is that
dust would make solar panels useless in as little as
3 months!

**It is a huge shame that your alleged 'NASA engineer' doesn't examine
some of NASA's very own projects, before making such nonsensical claims.
The Mars exploration rover, known as Opportunity, touched down on
January 25th, 2004. It had a planned life of 90 Martian days
(approximately 92 Earth days). Opportunity is still operational,
deriving it's power from Solar cells. Dust or not.

Of course, this is just part of the story. Any human mission to Mars
will include the capacity for those humans to clean any dust from the
Solar panels when required.

Post by Jack Ryan
They would like radioisotope thermoelectric generators
instead but they are politically incorrect now.

**It's has nothing to do with political correctness and a whole lot to
do with the fact that Plutonium Pu238 has a half life of 87.74 years and
one of the most deadly substances known. Given the fact that any humans
venturing to Mars will be a couple years away from medical treatment, it
makes perfect sense to minimise risks. Pu238 is a significant risk.

Are you certain that your 'NASA engineer' wasn't a toilet cleaner?

[news13]

Post by Trevor Wilson
**It's has nothing to do with political correctness and a whole lot to
do with the fact that Plutonium Pu238 has a half life of 87.74 years and
one of the most deadly substances known. Given the fact that any humans
venturing to Mars will be a couple years away from medical treatment, it
makes perfect sense to minimise risks. Pu238 is a significant risk.

And risk was the reason they abandoned the idea of launching nuclear
waste into the sun. too many launches end up as ball of fire spreading
goodness knows what.

[Trevor Wilson]

Post by news13

Post by Trevor Wilson
**It's has nothing to do with political correctness and a whole lot to
do with the fact that Plutonium Pu238 has a half life of 87.74 years and
one of the most deadly substances known. Given the fact that any humans
venturing to Mars will be a couple years away from medical treatment, it
makes perfect sense to minimise risks. Pu238 is a significant risk.

And risk was the reason they abandoned the idea of launching nuclear
waste into the sun. too many launches end up as ball of fire spreading
goodness knows what.

**It's more than just risk. Launching stuff outside Earth's gravity is
very expensive. It's cost too. Nuclear/thermal power makes sense for
deep space (unmanned) probes, since Sunlight is not all that plentiful.

[BuckyBalls]

Post by Trevor Wilson

Post by Jack Ryan
I had a fascinating discussion with a NASA engineer.
He said that one problem with a Mars mission is that
dust would make solar panels useless in as little as
3 months!

**It is a huge shame that your alleged 'NASA engineer' doesn't examine
some of NASA's very own projects, before making such nonsensical claims.
The Mars exploration rover, known as Opportunity, touched down on
January 25th, 2004. It had a planned life of 90 Martian days
(approximately 92 Earth days). Opportunity is still operational,
deriving it's power from Solar cells. Dust or not.

<snip>
NASA overestimated the dust buildup, also they found that sometimes
winds (even in the thin atmosphere) cleaned off the dust.
I remember someone wondering why NASA didn't put a fucking windshield
wiper on the solar panels! Should work with brushed blades.

[Jeßus]

On Thu, 5 Feb 2015 06:30:21 -0500 (EST), Jack Ryan

Post by Jack Ryan
I had a fascinating discussion with a NASA engineer.

Amateur troll.

Post by Jack Ryan
He said that one problem with a Mars mission is that
dust would make solar panels useless in as little as
3 months!
They would like radioisotope thermoelectric generators
instead but they are politically incorrect now.

You might like to explain how I can run a rural property on nothing
more than solar panels (even though I have a couple of hydro
generators providing power as well). I run about 2400W 24/7 just with
water pumps alone during spring and summer. Yes, solar power is so
over rated.