XPost: sci.space.policy, sci.physics   
   From: fjmccall@gmail.com   
      
   jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:   
      
   >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.   
   >   
      
   Sigh.   
      
   Now do the math.  That's a square around 55 meters on a side.  In   
   other words, it's TRIVIAL.   
      
      
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