XPost: sci.space.policy, sci.physics   
      
   In sci.physics "Greg \(Strider\) Moore"  wrote:   
   > "Jeff Findley"  wrote in message   
   > news:MPG.326a76e45028f09b98983c@news.eternal-september.org...   
   >>   
   >>In article , jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com   
   >>says...   
   >>> > It's not like we're constrained on how much space we are going to   
   >>> > spread out   
   >>> > our solar panels over. No neighbors are going to complain.   
   >>>   
   >>> Yeah, sure it would be possible to cover half of Mars with solar   
   >>> panels and get lots of power but that is not practical nor economical.   
   >   
   > Nor necessary.   
   >   
   >>>   
   >>> To get the energy of a little 50 MW reactor you need well over a million   
   >>> square meters of solar panels that only work during daylight.   
   >   
   > That's nice, you're the one claiming that you want 50 MW of power 24/7.   
   > No one else is claiming that.   
   >   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >>So bring a nuclear reactor, but you'll be constrained as to how bit it   
   >>can be, so I seriously doubt you're going to see a 50 MW reactor on Mars   
   >>anytime soon.   
   >>   
   >>Jeff   
   >   
   >   
   > Nor will you need one! I mean ISS provides its complete power for the US   
   > section at 120kw.   
   > So small reactor, or a bunch of relatively cheap solar panels.   
      
   Sigh.   
      
   Mars is much farther from the Sun than ISS and has an atmosphere, the   
   net results of which is that there is far less power available on the   
   surface of Mars than there is at the ISS.   
      
   To get an average daily output of 120 kW on Mars you need about   
   3,000 square meters of solar panels.   
      
   --   
   Jim Pennino   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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