The Mars InSight probe arrived on its planet in November 2018. Its main mission was to study the interior of the red planet. The latter is equipped with a seismometer and a 5-meter drill. The mission was initially supposed to last only one Martian year or two Earth years, so it far exceeded its objective. But the adventure will stop there, because one by one his measuring instruments stop working for lack of energy.
The concern comes from the thick Martian dust which settles on its 2.2 meter solar panels, depriving it of energy.
You will see two images below, the first being shortly after landing and the second from April 2022. The difference is stark.
NASA does not completely lose hope, however, it hopes that small whirlpools, named dut devils, could come and clean some of the dust in order to take advantage of a reprieve. The Spirit and Opportunity rovers suffered the same fate.
The team that manages InSight will turn it off little by little, starting with its robotic arm, then its seismometer this summer and the end clap is expected towards the end of the year if nothing changes at the level of the solar panels.
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