InSight's Final Selfie
Explanation:
The Mars InSight lander returned its
first image from
the Red Planet's flat, equatorial
Elysium
Planitia
after a successful touchdown on November 26, 2018.
The history making mission to explore the martian
Interior using Seismic investigations, geodesy,
and heat transport
has been operating for over 1,400 martian days or sols.
In that time the InSight mission has detected
more than 1,300 marsquakes and recorded data from
Mars-shaking
meteoroid
impacts, observing how the seismic waves travel to provide a
glimpse inside Mars.
Analyzing the archive of data collected is expected
to
yield discoveries
for decades.
But InSight's final operational sol is likely not far off.
The
reason is evident
in this
selfie
recorded earlier this year showing
its deck and large, 2-meter-wide solar panels covered with dust.
Kicked up by martian winds the dust continues to accumulate and
drastically reduce the power
that can be generated by InSight's solar panels.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
