Equatorial and low-latitude zones — usable globally but reduced by ~40-45% vs Earth
Estimated Quantity
~590 W/m² at perihelion, ~493 W/m² at aphelion (vs Earth's 1,361 W/m²)
As of 2021-01-01
Mars receives 43-52% of Earth's solar flux due to greater distance (1.38-1.67 AU). Both Curiosity and Spirit solar panels suffered dramatic output reduction during dust storms. InSight's dust accumulation problem showed solar power is viable until regolith begins coating panels. For crewed missions NASA's current baseline is fission surface power (Kilopower/10 kWe reactors) rather than solar arrays, specifically to avoid dust storm vulnerabilities.
Primary power source for landed assets without RTGs — Perseverance uses RTG while Ingenuity uses solar panels as test case; future crewed habitats must use nuclear fission (Kilopower/KRUSTY) or large solar arrays
Confidence: high · Last verified 2026-06-01
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