Mission controllers from NASA’s Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) failed to make contact with the InSight lander on two consecutive occasions, leading them to conclude that the spacecraft’s solar cells were dead.
While NASA will continue to look for signals from the module, it “is not considered likely to generate signals,” according to the latest communication on Dec. 15.
InSight landed on Mars in 2018 and was designed to conduct scientific activities for two years, well beyond its lifespan.
It even continued to make discoveries as it gradually reduced dust power levels on solar panels, data scientists have been using for years, NASA reported.
“While it’s always sad to say goodbye to a spacecraft, the fascinating science InSight has created is cause for celebration,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s director of science missions.
Zurbuchen specifically pointed to the seismic data collected by this mission, which “provides great information not only about Mars, but other rocky bodies, including Earth.”
NASA’s InSight space module has successfully landed on Mars
InSight, short for Seismic Surveys, Geodesy and Inner Exploration via Heat Transfer, was dedicated to studying the Martian interior and the data provided details about the inner layers, weather and many seismic activities.
The highly sensitive seismometer, along with daily ground-based monitoring, has detected 1,319 earthquakes, including those caused by meteorite impacts, the largest of which revealed rocky chunks of ice late last year.
These effects help scientists determine the age of the planet’s surface, and seismometer data provides a way to study the planet’s crust, mantle and core.
In fact, the seismometer was the last science instrument left on, as dust began to build up on the lander’s solar arrays, gradually decreasing their performance.
NASA recalls that all missions to Mars face challenges, and InSight is no different, citing its mechanical excavator, which is designed to go down to five meters and measure the heat inside.
Designed for the loose, sandy soil of other missions, it failed to grasp the unexpectedly bumpy ground around InSight and only reached as far as 16 inches, but “gathered valuable data on the physical and thermal properties of soil useful for the future .” tasks.
At the end of the mission, JPL Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt said, “We’ve seen InSight as our friend and colleague on Mars for the past four years, so it’s hard to say goodbye,” but “he’s earned his well-earned retirement.” .” “
The InSight mission had several European partners, including the Spanish Center for Astrobiology (CAB), which provided the wind and temperature sensors.
Source: Ultimahora
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Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
