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The InSight Lander arrived on Mars in 2018 to study the planet\u2019s interior. Its mission ended prematurely in December 2022 after its solar panels were covered in the planet\u2019s ubiquitous dust. NASA\u2019s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured an image of InSight recently and will continue to do so as the Martian dust slowly and inexorably reclaims the lander.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n NASA and the DLR sent the InSight lander to Mars to study the planet\u2019s interior. Though the lander\u2019s mole instrument wasn\u2019t able to complete its work, the mission is still considered a success. It detected more than 1,000 Marsquakes, which helped scientists understand Mars\u2019 crust, mantle, and core. It also measured the frequency of meteoroid impacts and uncovered some information on the planet\u2019s thermal evolution.<\/p>\n While the mission was pronounced finished in December 2022, mission personnel continued listening for signals from InSight in case the wind cleared dust from its panels. That effort will also soon end. <\/p>\n Now, the 358-kilogram (789 lb) spacecraft sits in its final resting place in Elysium Planitia. Barring some hyper-futuristic, impossible-to-foresee archaeological rescue expedition, the lander will never move. It\u2019s stranded there, waiting to be imaged repeatedly by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and its HiRISE camera. <\/p>\n However, perhaps unexpectedly, InSight still has more to offer. Researchers say that by monitoring the way dust collects on the lander and moves around it, they can learn about Mars\u2019 ubiquitous dust. That will help researchers better understand the planet and prepare more thoroughly for future missions. <\/p>\n \u201cIt feels a little bittersweet to look at InSight now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ingrid Daubar, InSight Science Team Member, Brown University<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n \u201cEven though we\u2019re no longer hearing from InSight, it\u2019s still teaching us about Mars,\u201d said science team member Ingrid Daubar of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. \u201cBy monitoring how much dust collects on the surface \u2014 and how much gets vacuumed away by wind and dust devils \u2014 we learn more about the wind, dust cycle, and other processes that shape the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n Martian dust is full of iron oxides, which give the planet its red appearance. It\u2019s very fine and can be lifted high into the atmosphere during Mars\u2019 global dust storms. It affects the planet\u2019s weather and climate. <\/p>\n It\u2019s a hazard for landers and rovers. InSight isn\u2019t the only mission to succumb to it. Spirit and Opportunity also struggled with Martian dust before being defeated by it. Landers and rovers need to be protected from it. It can cover solar panels, rendering them ineffective. It can foul unprotected moving parts, contaminate science instruments, and cause problems with electronics and thermal control. <\/p>\n Martian dust is slightly magnetic due to its iron content, making it quite different from Earth dust. Scientists are concerned that its electrostatic properties might make it stick to surfaces and be difficult to remove. It could cling to some components in unanticipated ways. <\/p>\n There are unanswered questions about Mars\u2019 dust. For instance, scientists don\u2019t know exactly how it all formed or when. Are we seeing only ancient dust? Or is some of it newly created? Scientists aren\u2019t certain how it becomes electrically charged during storms, whether it\u2019s toxic and to what degree, or how exactly it\u2019s transported around the planet during storms.<\/p>\n While monitoring InSight from space likely won\u2019t answer all these questions, it can still teach scientists some things. One of the things they can observe is dust devil tracks. Back when the lander was still active, scientists matched MRO images of dust tracks near the lander with its wind data. They found that the whirling wind patterns that produce the dust devils subside in the winter and pick up again in the summer. <\/p>\n\n