NASA's InSight lander on Mars goes silent as power runs low

[Admin]

NASA lost contact with its Mars InSight lander on Monday (Dec. 18) after the spacecraft failed to respond to communications from its control team.

NASA's InSight lander on Mars goes silent as power runs low : Read more

 

[Exanimus]

Why can't they use the drone to blow off some dust from the solar panels so it will start charging up again?

 

[COLGeek]

Distance. See here:

Mars Dust Storm in Relation to InSight, Curiosity and Perseverance

The beige clouds seen in this global map of Mars are a continent-size dust storm captured on Sept. 29, 2022, by the Mars Color Imager camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

www.jpl.nasa.gov

 

[Pogo]

Why can't they use the drone to blow off some dust from the solar panels so it will start charging up again?

Incorrect probe. The helicopter is with Perserverence, not InSight.

 

[Pogo]

They need to install windshield wipers on the solar panels on these things, or articulate the panels so they can turn over and dump the dust.