NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander was recently seen by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in an image taken using its High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on October 23, 2024. The image shows dust settled on the lander’s solar panels, which now matches the reddish-brown color of the Martian surface. Reports suggest that this observation will continue to provide information about the movements of dust and wind patterns on Mars.
Insight’s mission and retirement
The InSight lander, which touched down in November 2018, was central to detecting Mars earthquakes and studying the planet’s crust, mantle and core. NASA officially ended the mission in December 2022 when the lander stopped communicating due to excessive dust accumulation on its solar panels. Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California continued to monitor the lander for any signs of reactivation, hoping Martian winds might clear its panels. However, according to reports, no signal has been received, and the listening operation will end by the end of this year.
tracking dust movement
New HiRISE images captured to see how dust and wind change the surface of Mars over time. Ingrid Dauber, a member of the science team at Brown University, said the images from InSight’s location provide important data on how dust accumulates and changes. This information helps researchers understand Mars’ dust cycle and wind dynamics, which are important for future missions.
Surface changes and impact studies
The movement of dust not only affects solar-powered missions but also helps scientists study surface aging processes. The blast marks left by InSight’s landing thrusters, once dark and prominent in 2018, have largely faded, indicating dust accumulation over time. This phenomenon also helps researchers estimate the age and surface features of craters, as dust gradually reduces their visibility.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s ongoing role
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is playing an important role in observing the changes in the surface of Mars. It monitors both active missions, such as the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, and passive ones, including the Spirit, Opportunity and Phoenix landers. Managed by JPL for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, the orbiter’s HiRISE camera remains a vital instrument for long-term studies of the Martian environment.
