“My battery is very low so this may be the last image I can send.” From Mars, the US space agency’s Insight probe sent what could be its last message, after almost four years passing through the red planet. In November, NASA already warned that the probe could be retired soon, due to dust that has accumulated on its solar panels, draining its battery.
“Don’t worry about me: my stay here has been both productive and serene,” reads this message shared by NASA on the Insight Twitter account. “If I can continue to talk to my mission team, I will, but I’ll be going offline soon. Thanks for being with me.”
In May, NASA announced that the probe would stop operating this summer due to the accumulation, over the months, of Martian dust on its two solar panels, each of which is about 2.2 meters wide. The US agency then specified that the seismometer would be turned off around July, before ending its mission at the end of 2022.
many advances
InSight, one of four robots currently on the red planet, along with the American rovers Perseverance and Curiosity, and the Chinese Zhurong, arrived on Mars in November 2018. His seismometer, made in France, has since allowed great advances. Seismic waves, which vary according to the materials they pass through, offer an image of the bowels of the planet.
For example, scientists were able to confirm that the core of Mars is liquid and determine the thickness of the Martian crust, which is less dense than expected and probably composed of three layers. During its mission, InSight also recorded more than 1,300 “Marsquakes.”
Last month, the robot shared another message, saying it was “lucky to have lived on two planets.” “Four years ago I arrived safely in my second, much to the delight of my family who are in my first. Thank you to my team for sending me on this voyage of discovery. I hope I have done you all proud.”
Source: BFM TV
