Nasa’s Mars lander is going into ‘emergency hibernation’ and might die

[C C]

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style...31868.html

INTRO: Nasa’s InSight Mars lander is currently trying to endure the abrasive Martian environment, as it sits on the Red Planet conserving power as its solar panels get covered in dust. InSight was designed to be powered by solar energy, gathered through dual two-meter panels. It was always expected that the panels would reduce their power output as time went on and dust landed on them, but would still have enough to last throughout the two-year mission.

Unfortunately, not all has gone to plan. Despite InSight landing in Elysium Planitia, a windswept area of Mars that gets lots of sunlight, none of the passing dust devils (funnel-like chimneys of hot air) have been close enough to clean the panels. This means that InSight is only getting 27 per cent of the power that it otherwise would – shared between its scientific instruments, robotic arm, radio, and heaters.

To make matters worse, the windiest Martian season has just ended and it could be months before another cleaning event naturally occurs, and Mars is moving away from the Sun. Its already weak energy is getting weaker, and when InSight needs it most, and science operations have had to be put on hold until July 2021 when Mars is closer to the star... (MORE - details)

[Yazata]

Here's what nasa has to say.

https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8858/insight-...te=insight

[Yazata]

That was more than a year ago, and Insight is still alive though just barely. It may or may not have sent its last photo and may or may not have signed off for the last time.

Hardly a dry eye anywhere.

https://twitter.com/NASAInSight/status/1...4659035136

[Zinjanthropos]

I wonder if this scenario has played out before in other parts of the universe. Undoubtedly there would be evidence but finding it, an almost impossible job.

[Yazata]

Well, that's it... NASA JPL has pulled the plug on the Insight Mars Lander mission. The mission is officially over...

This came after the last two attempts to contact it drew no reply.

The last time it communicated was Dec 15 when it indicated its batteries were dangerously low.

They say that NASAs Deep Space Net will keep listening for it on the off-chance it revives, but that's very unlikely. Other than that, the Insight mission team is moving on to new assignments, after 4 very intense years.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-retir...of-science

https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1605599290138644482

They say that Insight's super-sensitive seismometer, built and monitored by the French Space Agency CNES and ETH Zurich, detected a total of 1,319 Mars quakes. This has added significantly to our knowledge of rocky planets (previously we only had a sample size of one) and in some ways Mars is quite different from Earth in that it lacks Earth's plate tectonics.

(Most of Insight's scientific instruments were actually European, while the launch and lander were American.)

The Sun sets on Insight (NASA JPL photo)

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