Scientists believe that flying kites can provide energy for Mars missions in the future

Currently, rovers that are exploring the surface of Mars are typically powered by solar . Some rely on other energy sources, but solar energy remains the most common. But the challenge with this approach is that the solar panels could be covered in dust from the massive presence of the Martian surface, reducing power or possibly rendering the systems they provide inoperable.

ESA researchers have been working on a new potential way of powering rovers on Mars in the future, which includes kite flying.

Researchers from Delft University of Technology believe that flying a large kite would allow robots to take advantage of Mars' high wind speeds and provide enough energy to sustain astronauts in their day-to-day tasks. Producing and storing renewable energy on Mars is a considerable challenge. Since Mars is farther from the sun than Earth, it only gets 43% of the sunlight we get on Earth, which means solar power is less effective.

According to the current carrying capacity of the spacecraft, it is impossible to send the wind turbine and ordinary batteries to Mars because they are too heavy. Researchers have raised the possibility of using kites to generate energy, in part because winds on Mars are on average faster than those on Earth. However, the atmosphere on Mars is less dense. Higher wind speeds and lower densities are balanced with , but not completely, the researchers said. This means that the surface area of ​​the kite needs to increase dramatically. The

research team noted that the rotor of the Ingenuity helicopter currently operating on Mars is much larger than the drone of a similar size on Earth. The kite will require a surface area of ​​50 square meters. It will be connected to an device on the ground via the cable , and as the kite flies into the Martian sky it will pull more cables, causing the device to spin to generate energy.The

researchers also managed to prepare 70 square meters of solar cells panels to convert light into electricity. By combining these two approaches, scientists think we will be able to provide enough electricity to maintain a base on Mars, keep astronauts powered at night, and store energy for use in different seasons. The team believes that the entire system could produce 127 megawatts hours of energy per year, enough to power about five homes in the United States.