Nuclear power

Nuclear Power is a method of energy generation. It uses nuclear fuel to produce heat, which is usually transformed into electricity.

Nuclear power has been considered as the preferred energy source for most plans for medium- to long-term human expeditions to Mars. It does not depend on [environmental conditions|weather condition]].

The availability of radioactive resources on Mars is unclear. Due to the vast effort of the nuclear enrichment process the nuclear fuel must be brought from Earth, preventing the settlement from being independent from Earth.

RTG

Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (abbr.: RTG) are simple devices. They produce a heat difference, transformed by a thermocouple to electrocal energy. The maintenance effort is low. However, RTGs do not provide enough power for a base.

Nuclear reactor

In a nuclear reactor the heat boils water to steam. Turbines are driven by the steam's pressure, spinning a dynamo to generate electric energy.

Nuclear heating

Heating greenhouses and other buildings may be done indirectly by the heat of the nuclear fission. The heat can be transported in pipes from the reactor to the buildings. Heat exchangers avoid nuclear pollution of the buildings.

Open issues

• What sort of nuclear fuel is needed?
• How long can the described nuclear power stations work without replenishment of nuclear fuel?
• What is known about nuclear resources on Mars?