docduracoat t1_irjabga wrote on October 8, 2022 at 5:28 PM Reply to comment by cynical_gramps in Continent-Size Dust Storm on Mars Threatens to Shorten NASA InSight Lander's Last Days by Sariel007 you have a valid point that radio thermal generators could be used on these mars missions. However it is a major problem to get plutonium for these batteries and it’s dangerous to send plutonium up from earth into space. Everything is a trade off and you can bet NASA look very carefully at this question Permalink Parent 6
docduracoat t1_irjabga wrote
Reply to comment by cynical_gramps in Continent-Size Dust Storm on Mars Threatens to Shorten NASA InSight Lander's Last Days by Sariel007
you have a valid point that radio thermal generators could be used on these mars missions.
However it is a major problem to get plutonium for these batteries and it’s dangerous to send plutonium up from earth into space.
Everything is a trade off and you can bet NASA look very carefully at this question