A new issue plagues the InSight lander after an instrument didn’t work as expected. The American space agency shared a press release which notes that the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will use the robotic arm of the lander in attempt to lift the structure of the Heat Flow and Physics Properties Package (also known as HP3).
The instrument was positioned on the Martian surface this year. It features a sophisticated probe which was designed to burrow to a depth of five meters below the surface, to explore the heat flow found in the interior of the planet. The probe had managed to reach a depth of 30 centimeters before it got stuck. It has remained at the same depth for over three months.
NASA researchers and engineers believe that the mole is unable to go at a greater depth because it can’t interact with the surrounding regolith.
NASA Will Try Fixing The Faulty “Mole” Instrument Of InSight
The scientists think that the mole is stuck because it bounces back when it should hammer through the layer of rock. Other scenarios suggest that InSight’s mole may have hit a very tough rock or a faulty tether within the housing of the instrument, but both seem to be unlikely.
According to a high-ranking NASA employee, the friction hypothesis seems to be the most reliable since current data contradict the other scenarios. Engineers plan to use the robotic arm of the lander to press the instrument. This should increase the friction and allow the mole to proceed to a lower level.
The plan to fix the faulty mole instrument of InSight appears to be viable, but several steps have to be taken to complete the task. At first, the housing structure has to be removed, and the procedure will take place over three stages If the structure brings the mole along when it lifted the functionality of the instrument will be compromised, and it will be no longer useable. It remains to be seen if NASA will be able to achieve the feat in the following weeks.
Andre Blair s is the lead editor for . He holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Science in Public Health (M.S.P.H.) from the School of Public Health, Department of Health Administration, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Andre specializes in environmental health, but writes on a variety of issues.