Radioisotope Power Systems: A Bright Future

My mission will be going to the North Polar Ice Cap on Mars. This mission has several goals we hope to achieve. Our goals are: determining whether Mars bore life, analyzing the climate, analyzing the geology, and seeing if Mars is primed for human exploration. We will accomplish this through a rover. What is the importance of Radioisotope Powered Systems (RPS) on this mission? To understand the necessity of the RPS we need to understand the location of our mission. The North Polar Ice Cap has continuous daylight during summer, but little sun during winter. Our RPS converts heat generated by plutonium-238 into electrical power, which provides heat to keep the spacecraft’s electronic and mechanical systems operational in the cold. The RPS overcomes limitations of solar power in environments with limited light by operating even with lack of sunlight. This system provides power for longer periods of time than chemical batteries, and works at remote distances from the Sun. By using the RPS on this mission it allows our time period to be extended, and allows more efficient work. I have several unique characteristics that help achieve success on this mission. The first characteristic I have is unwillingness to conform to popular opinion. I research everything before choosing a side. This is beneficial because it makes sure that we have the right information and statistics. The second trait I have is delegation. Considered an essential leadership trait, knowing my teammates and delegating tasks according to strengths helps maximize team efficiency.