Question Mars Solar Panel Designs

[Ivor]

Is there any reason why NASA engineers do not equip Martian Lander solar panel mounting points with motors that can rotate the mounting shaft 360 degrees? True, it would add more mass as a downside, but this would allow the solar panels to be self-cleaning of dust, thereby giving them an always clean surface area, giving the batteries a more reliable power source and a longer useful life on the planet. It would not be at the whim of a dust storm that happened to come along. Plan B would be to mount solar panels on vertical surfaces as well as normal areas.

 

[billslugg]

Dust sticks to the solar panels so turning them upside down would only get part of it. Maybe a type of brush would work. Up until now, such a concept has been too expensive. Maybe in the future they will do it.

 

[stanwaterman]

Is there any reason why NASA engineers do not equip Martian Lander solar panel mounting points with motors that can rotate the mounting shaft 360 degrees? True, it would add more mass as a downside, but this would allow the solar panels to be self-cleaning of dust, thereby giving them an always clean surface area, giving the batteries a more reliable power source and a longer useful life on the planet. It would not be at the whim of a dust storm that happened to come along. Plan B would be to mount solar panels on vertical surfaces as well as normal areas.

It's amazing how little effect quite a lot of debris has on panel output in fact. However maybe a windscreen wiper type cleaner would be easier than turning them over, and more effective?

 

[Ivor]

It's amazing how little effect quite a lot of debris has on panel output in fact. However maybe a windscreen wiper type cleaner would be easier than turning them over, and more effective?

Hi Stan,
Wipers does seem a better idea than the swivel. Maybe an anti-static charge to repel dust in the first place? or would that fry the rest of the electronics?

 

[Classical Motion]

Do what race cars do. Use a cleanable roll of plastic film. Or cover panel with deflated see thru balloon. And just inflate balloon every so often. Or use compressed air to blow them off.

 

[Ivor]

Do what race cars do. Use a cleanable roll of plastic film. Or cover panel with deflated see thru balloon. And just inflate balloon every so often. Or use compressed air to blow them off.

I would go with your balloon idea, with the exhaust gasses blowing over the balloon as well for good measure. Do you think we will get a fee from NASA?