What dictates the necessity for nuclear power over solar arrays for deep-space probes?
Answer
The physical impossibility of operating a solar-powered craft due to low solar intensity at vast distances.
When a spacecraft ventures far from the Sun, such as toward the outer planets or the Kuiper Belt, the declining solar intensity (due to the inverse-square law) means solar panels would have to be prohibitively enormous to generate adequate power. The mass and drag associated with such massive solar arrays make them unfeasible for launch. Therefore, the decision hinges on this physical limitation: for long-duration missions where dense, consistent energy is essential beyond the effective reach of strong sunlight, nuclear power becomes a fundamental requirement rather than merely an option.
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