The operation was practiced several times in simulation laboratories on Earth to avoid causing damage to other systems.
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NASA’s InSight probe, which is currently on the surface of Mars, has faced unexpected obstacles during its mission to explore the red planet.
The probe’s heat measurement instrument, also known as ‘the mole’, which aims to drill into the soil of Mars, failed to dig below sandy surface as planned and ended up getting stuck. According explained The space agency in a statement, the problem occurred due to the lack of friction that the tool requires to drill.
So the team of NASA specialists had a rudimentary but effective solution to free the instrument: give it a solid blow with the shovel that it has incorporated. They recently posted a video on the mission’s Twitter account showing progress.
The operation had to be practiced several times in simulation laboratories on Earth to avoid causing damage to other systems. “Good news, our new approach to using the robotic arm to push the ‘mole’ seems to be working“they noted.
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If all goes well in the coming weeks, the engineering team hopes the probe can continue to take heat measurements below the planet’s surface.
InSight landed on Mars on November 26, 2018 to investigate inside of the red planet and the evolution of its formation. Instruments he uses include a seismograph, sensors that detect wind and air pressure, a magnetometer, and a sensor to measure temperature.
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