A groundbreaking Martian probe may have just returned one last disturbing image

It’s almost time Say hello to another Martian friend. Many missions have disappeared for the last time on the Red Planet, some after many years of successful data collection and others shortly after free-falling like a fireball. We’ll be adding another Martian explorer to this ever-growing list soon: intuition He could have sent his finished painting home.

The image That in itself is similar to the hundreds of others the probe has returned to Earth over the past four years. At the center of the image is the rover’s seismometer, on which it focused on data collection profit margins whose data has been used in dozens of articles. However, in this image it is conspicuously covered in the fine red dust that covers everything on the Red Planet.

This is the photo taken on November 6, 2022:

This dust also covers the InSight’s power supply. The solar arrays are collectively covered and, as a result, are able to supply less and less energy to the lander itself. Unfortunately, InSight also had the good or bad luck of being in a general calm zone for the Martian dust devils. While it can be difficult for the instruments themselves to handle while performing, the dust devils also do a great job of cleaning up dust-covered solar panels.

Another factor in the dust accumulation was a design decision the InSight team made early on in the project. Various methods can help remove dust from solar panels. Air-operated blades and wiper blades similar to those found in automobiles are some of the more common types. But InSight engineers decided not to include such a system in their probe.

Making these kinds of decisions is one of the hardest parts of engineering. Dust collection systems add weight and therefore cost more, both in design and to transport to Mars. Launch costs are always a large part of the project budget, so each system is reviewed to see if it’s actually needed. In Insight’s case, the team determined that the dust collection system was not.

There was one critical factor that led to this decision: the relatively short duration of the planned Insight mission as a whole. It was to last only one Earth year. He ended up with four.

What’s next for InSight

Even without the dust collection system, the mission exceeded initial expectations. And InSight has solidified its position as one of the most prolific Martian probes to date. Its data has been the basis for dozens of papers, and we’ve come to understand everything from the presence (or lack thereof) of liquid water around the probe to the detection of magma in the same area.

Data like this would make any science team proud, and Insight participants had plenty of time to see the end coming. UT first reported its power issues in May. But, while it has continued to grow over the past six months, it may soon be time to say a final goodbye to inland exploration with the help of seismic surveys, geodesy, and thermal and transport missions. It will not be forgotten and may one day be brought back to life when man finally walks through the landscape that is the only one he has seen so far.

This article was originally published the universe today by Andy Tomaswick. Read it The original article is here.