TY - JOUR
AU - Clark, Douglas S.
AB - Abstract: A central question surrounding possible human exploration of Mars is whether crewed missions can be supported by available technologies using in situ resources. Here, we show that photovoltaics-based power systems would be adequate and practical to sustain a crewed outpost for an extended period over a large fraction of the planet's surface. Climate data were integrated into a radiative transfer model to predict spectrally-resolved solar flux across the Martian surface. This informed detailed balance calculations for solar cell devices that identified optimal bandgap combinations for maximizing production capacity over a Martian year. We then quantified power systems, manufacturing, and agricultural demands for a six-person mission, which revealed that photovoltaics-based power generation would require <10 t of carry-along mass, outperforming alternatives over ~50% of Mars' surface.
TI - Photovoltaics-driven power production can support human exploration on Mars
JF - Physics
DA - 2021-10-27
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/arxiv-cornell-university/photovoltaics-driven-power-production-can-support-human-exploration-on-3nCJXPhX4G
VL - 2021
IS - 2110
DP - DeepDyve
ER -