Philip P. Ide

Author, programmer, science enthusiast, half-wit.
Life is sweet. Have you tasted it lately?

User Tools

Site Tools


blog:articles:info:insight_final

InSight's Final Selfie

InSight's Final Selfie The InSight lander is in the final stages of of its extended mission. This image, taken on April 24th 2022, is it's last selfie.

There was a possibility to keep going until the last operating science experiment had to be turned off, and then InSight would keep operating on safe mode until it eventually ran out of power.

There's always a push to keep an experiment running as long as possible. It tests the experiment to extremis, and it keeps people employed. By running it as long as possible, they also discover the limits of the engineering in the harsh environment. This time though, they decided to turn off safe-mode so the seismometer can keep operating until the end.

Safe Mode

Safe-mode is where the system powers down to minimal energy usage. Usually this is employed during dust storms, or when it loses communications. It allows the lander to continue for a much longer time before it runs out of power.

The dust on the solar panels is preventing it from generating enough energy to run all its experiments, so they've all been turned off except the seismometer - the experiment that was literally the reason for sending it to Mars in the first place.

There are two main reasons why the solar panels don't provide enough energy to recharge the batteries properly. The first is obvious enough, it's the dust settling on the panels and reducing their efficiency. At the time I write this article (17th July, 2022), Mars is past perihelion and its orbit is taking it further away from the sun. The amount of energy from the sun falling onto the Martian surface diminishes exponentially with distance - the further Mars gets from the sun, the less energy reaches the surface.

It should also be remembered that InSight is in the Northern hemisphere. On July 21st 2022, there will be the Winter Solstice - the beginning of Astronomical Winter. When Summer came around last time, there was not enough energy being generated by the solar panels to power the other experiments. As you may be aware, I would have loved weather data to start flowing again, but alas that didn't happen. Since then, more dust has settled on the panels. The settling of dust is an ongoing issue, so it's just going to make things worse.

When InSight detects the power in the batteries is below a certain point, it is programmed to enter safe-mode, giving the panels a chance to charge the batteries. By turning off safe-mode, the scientists will definitely shorten the life of the lander, but they'll get continuous data right up until the end. It makes sense.

This website uses cookies. By using the website, you agree with storing cookies on your computer. Also you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree leave the website.More information about cookies
blog/articles/info/insight_final.txt · Last modified: 2022/07/17 12:57 by Phil Ide

Except where otherwise noted, content on this wiki is licensed under the following license: Copyright © Phil Ide
Donate Powered by PHP Valid HTML5 Valid CSS Driven by DokuWiki
  • ISSplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigInternational Space Station

    This page has a portal through which you can view the current location of the International Space Station, updating in real-time. The tracker itself comes from the European Space Agency (ESA).

    There is also a handy link to get email notifications direct from NASA when the ISS is visible in your night sky.
  • Mars Weatherplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMars Weather

    Weather Reports Insight Lander Perseverance Rover Curiosity data to come [Current positions of Earth and Mars] Image courtesy of and © Dominic Ford

    This image is updated once per week. A daily update is available on the Mars Solar Conjunctions page when such events are active.

    You can check the position of Mars vs the Sun and Earth for any date here:
  • Downloadsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDownloads

    Orbital Calculator Current Version This is a portable application, meaning there is no installer. Just unzip into a folder and run the executable. Since it is portable, it can be run from a USB stick.

    A full description and a list of the features are available
  • Orbital Calculatorplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator

    I needed to calculate orbital characteristics for any orbit around any gravitational mass (because I write sci-fi stories), so I wrote this program because I'm a programmer and I'm too lazy to do it by hand all the time. The program has expanded over the last few years, sometimes from suggestions by other writers. I make it freely available and as simple to use as possible. It now has a list of functions as long as your arm (assuming you're not a tentacle user), and the numbe…
  • Cookie Policy & GDPRplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCookie Policy & GDPR

    There are NO tracking cookies on this site!

    The Cookie policy is straightforward. This site only uses cookies that are required to make your experience of using this site better, and only uses session cookies (see exceptions below). Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser.
  • Book Reviewsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigBook Reviews

    Here you can find all the book reviews, broken down by genre, and further subdivided by author. If you want me to review your novel, please read my Rules on Reviewing.

    * Science-Fiction * Fantasy * Non-Fiction
  • Contactplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigContact

    If you have a burning desire to contact me, use the discussion form below. Anything you say remains private between you and me.