[tdy721]

bitrate it uses is good enough for the mission

The fact is, it could be better, and it really should. It's just silly to use Solar panels in the outer Solar System. This mission was dominated by politics and not science. I think that is a very real issue. Look at Curiosity, I think it's very clear that Rover is a massive upgrade over the preceding solar powered missions.

[drzaiusapelord]

Well, Curiosity is huge and at that point needed a power source that wasn't solar. I really am not buying that these are political decisions. I think there's more emphasis on solar and less RTG in some scenarios because everyone is worried about the plutonium situation. No use wasting plutonium on missions that frankly just don't need it.