One consequence is that the mars exploration rovers couldn t work for more that half of the time.
Curiosity rover solar panels.
Without power it cannot move use its science instruments or communicate with earth.
But these plutonium units are a respected power source for spacecraft nasa s curiosity rover.
Curiosity carries a radioisotope power system that generates electricity from the heat of plutonium s radioactive decay.
Named curiosity it was the largest rover to be placed on the surface of mars.
The curiosity rover is bigger needs more power.
Photo courtesy of nasa.
The power source generates 9 mj 2 5 kwh of electrical energy each day much more than the solar panels of the now retired mars exploration rovers which generated about 2 1 mj 0 58 kwh each day.
They believe the dust covered the rover s solar power.
This power source gives the mission an operating.
Of course the insight lander currently operating on the red planet bears solar panels.
The rover requires power to operate.
The rovers by name curiosity.
Opportunity set a new record for travel on an extraterrestrial location by driving a total of 2806 mi 45 16 km.
On august 6 2012 the most recent rover landed on mars.