Photovoltaics-driven power production can support human exploration on Mars

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that photovoltaics-based power systems are feasible and effective for supporting human missions on Mars, covering a significant portion of the planet's surface with manageable mass requirements.

Contribution

It integrates climate modeling and solar cell optimization to evaluate the practicality of photovoltaic power for Mars exploration, a novel approach for mission planning.

Findings

Photovoltaics can support extended human presence on Mars.

Power systems require less than 10 tons of mass for a six-person mission.

Over 50% of Mars surface is suitable for photovoltaic power generation.

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.