If you are a robotic explorer on Mars, dust is evil. The dust-covered solar panels on NASA's InSight lander have hindered its functioning since early this year. So it is testing out sand scrubs as a means to increase its vitality after going on a power-saving diet.
NASA said in a statement that the lander's robotic arm strewn sand around one solar panel, allowing some of the dust to be carried away by the wind. As a result, around 30 watt-hours of energy were gained per sol or Martian day.
Because of this ingenious dust solution, InSight will be able to continue its research on Mars. On behalf of the lander, the InSight team gave a welcoming announcement last week via Twitter.
"Because of the hard work of my team, solar power has improved." That hard work included coming up with a clever way of scrubbing some of the dust off the solar panels by instructing the lander to dump dirt on itself.
@twitter|https://twitter.com/NASAInSight/status/1408552495501123585@
"At the start of the year, we thought we'd stop collecting science for six months; now I'll be operating for most of the summer," the InSight team tweeted. "This is all 'bonus' science since I've completed my main mission goals."
Scrubbing Panels A Success
The scrubbing was successful because larger sand grains moved smaller dust particles away from the panels' surface. It was planned for a breezy time of day. With gusts gusting up to 20 feet (6 meters) per second from the northwest, NASA claimed the trickling of sand coincided with an instantaneous increase in the spacecraft's total power.
On Thursday, the InSight team posted a GIF depicting the scooping operation via Twitter. "My team asked me to try something that seems crazy, but it actually worked!"
@twitter|https://twitter.com/NASAInSight/status/1400485445960560646@
The power boost is little, but it is critical in allowing InSight to collect data for several weeks longer before having to shut down its science instruments. Because Mars is approaching its farthest point from the Sun, InSight was already receiving less sunlight.
The lander will focus its energy on heaters and other vital components by turning off the science instruments, which was always part of the plan for making it through a low-light period. The goal is to stay alive long enough to complete its science mission, which was recently extended to December 2022.
Dust Always a 'Problem' on Mars
Dust was always going to be a problem on Mars, according to NASA. Passing whirlwinds were supposed to help keep the panels clean, but that has not happened as planned. InSight was given a mission extension until December 2022. However, its ongoing scientific work had been jeopardized due to the dust problem.
InSight's mission on Mars, which includes researching Marsquakes, will benefit from the recovery. While NASA's Perseverance and Curiosity rovers explore other parts of Mars, InSight will concentrate on seismic and weather data.
If InSight is lucky enough, a passing whirlwind will clean the panels even more. If not, it may have to fight the dust plague for the rest of its mission.
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