An improved model for available solar energy on Mars: Optimizing solar panel orientation to assess potential spacecraft landing sites

Solar energy is an important source of power for Mars surface missions. We utilize the output of a 1D radiative transfer algorithm to investigate the optimal orientation of static, tilted solar panels across the planet and compare their available energy to that of sun-tracking panels. Tilted static solar panels can collect up to 8.5 times as much solar energy as horizontal static panels, dependent on sur -face location and time of year. Static panels at optimal elevation angles and azimuthal pointing for their location were found to receive at minimum 53% of the solar energy available to sun-tracking panels. The effects of angled and sun-tracking solar panels were found to be most beneficial in the polar regions. A system that could alter its orientation even just a few times a year would be able to take advantage of a significant increase in power, evening out the available energy per sol for equatorial landing sites and reducing the solar panel area needed for overwintering in mid-latitude and polar areas. The outputs produced by our model provide useful information on the avail-able energy for a variety of possible solar panel orientations for use in cost-benefit analyses of sun-tracking panels as well as the estima-tion of available power for Mars surface missions during the mission planning stage.& COPY; 2023 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Solar energy is a crucial power source for Mars surface missions. By utilizing a 1D radiative transfer algorithm, we examine the optimal orientation of static, tilted solar panels on Mars and compare their energy output to sun-tracking panels. Tilted static solar panels can harvest up to 8.5 times more solar energy than horizontally placed panels, depending on location and time of year. Static panels set at optimal angles and azimuths can receive at least 53% of the solar energy available to sun-tracking panels. The polar regions show the most significant benefits from angled and sun-tracking panels.