The InSight lander, expected to cease operations in the coming weeks due to dwindling energy, has sent back what may be its final images from Mars.
Since landing at the end of 2018, the InSight lander from NASA has provided groundbreaking information about what is happening inside Mars, from detecting seismic activity to identifying new meteorite impacts, exceeding all expectations. The expected operational time for InSight was 709 Martian days, and it has now nearly doubled that threshold.
Seismometer image from the InSight lander on Mars taken on October 30. (Image: NASA/JPL-CalTech)
However, in recent months, the lander has been unable to generate sufficient energy. The solar panels are covered in dust, and despite the efforts of experts, the dust has not significantly cleared. The energy that InSight is able to collect is diminishing and will soon be insufficient to maintain operations for the seismometer and essential instruments.
“This may be the last image InSight sends back home. The image was taken on October 30, 2022, around 5:20 PM local time. With the solar panels covered in dust, InSight is expected to last only a few more weeks. This is nearly the end,” planetary scientist Paul Byrne shared on social media platform Twitter on November 4, along with the latest, and possibly final, image from the lander. The photo shows the housing of the seismometer on the ground.
When new and clean, the solar panels produced enough energy to power a heater for about 1 hour and 40 minutes each day. Currently, InSight is only able to power the most sensitive sensors among its array of seismometers.
There are no rescue plans for InSight. The lander arrived on Mars without any solar panel cleaning mechanisms due to weight and power constraints. NASA has stated that while rovers on Mars sometimes benefit from winds that blow away dust, it is unlikely that there will be enough wind to significantly extend InSight’s lifespan at this time.
