Generac Donates High-Quality Power System To Mars Desert Research Station
Los Angeles - May 21, 2002 Generac Power Systems has donated a high quality power system to support the work of the Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). The donated unit, which will serve as the MDRS' primary source of electrical power, is a 20 kilowatt generator set. This mobile unit is trailer mounted, and is powered by a 1.5 Liter liquid- cooled four cylinder engine that is fueled by LP gas. This Generac model is known for its durability and long life. A similar unit in Alaska � providing prime power for a remote cell phone site � has been operating around the clock since September of 1999, and has logged more than 17,000 hours. Commenting on the donation, Mars Society President Robert Zubrin said; "We are extremely grateful to the Generac Company for this wonderful donation. Up until this time, the MDRS had been forced to rely upon 7 kWe gasoline generators, which were short-lived, unreliable, insufficient in capacity, and which required crew members to break simulation 3 times a day to refuel. "The new Generac system is famous for its reliability and will be able to run for nearly a week between refuelings. Moreover, it will finally give us the amount of power we need to run all the systems of the MDRS as they should be run." "One thing we have learned from our mission simulations to date is that the last thing you want a Mars mission crew to be is power-poor. A Mars station needs to have plenty of reliable power. The best way to assure that on Mars is with a small space nuclear reactor. The best way to do that in a remote location on Earth is with a Generac." Headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Generac Power Systems is a leading manufacturer of diesel and gaseous-fueled engine-driven power generation equipment, transfer switches, switchgear, and small engines for recreational, residential, commercial, communication, and industrial applications. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Generac Mars Society SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Lunar Dreams and more
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