Why does solar intensity drop to only 4% at Jupiter compared to Earth?
Answer
The power density of sunlight decreases according to the inverse-square law.
The reduction in solar intensity experienced by spacecraft traveling away from the Sun is governed by the inverse-square law. This physical principle dictates that the intensity of radiant energy, such as sunlight, decreases proportionally to the square of the distance from the source. Consequently, by the time a probe reaches the orbital distance of Jupiter, the sunlight available is drastically reduced, amounting to only about four percent of the intensity measured at Earth's location. This rapid drop-off makes relying solely on photovoltaic cells impractical for missions destined for the outer solar system.
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