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 weather conditions.
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.
The maintenance effort of a legacy nuclear power station requires a huge staff. However, due to Russian plans to build a fully self-contained device on Mars the required maintenance staff comprises only 6 engineers.
RTG
Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (abbr.: RTG) are simple devices. They produce a heat difference, transformed by a thermocouple to electrical energy. The maintenance effort is low. However, RTGs do not provide enough power for a base.
This is a Crime Against Humanity. So so sad! And they still continue to adcvoate Nuclear Power. There is a plan to build a Nuclear Plant in TURKEY about 30 kms from a fault. Turkey is the most seismic country and the Russians are teaming up with the Turkish Government to start building the nuke in May. Human madness has no LIMIT! Only after the last tree has been cut down, Only after the last river has been poisoned, Only after the last fish has been caught, Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten. Cree Indian Prophecy about to come true, unfortunately!
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?
