Mars mission: solar power instead of nuclear – Science Spectrum

Future astronauts on Mars could use photovoltaic and hydrogen systems to generate and store enough energy for their mission. This is the result of the study appearing in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Science.. There are as yet no concrete plans for a six-man mission to Mars. However, nuclear fission has so far been considered the preferred source of energy for humans on Mars because a nuclear reactor produces the most energy relative to its mass. But depending on where on the planet a potential Mars base is located, solar power could provide a viable alternative to nuclear power.