The completed Insight mission on Mars maintains a scientific purpose

May 22. () –

The remains of NASA’s completed Insight mission to Mars have been revisited by the HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

The InSight lander It ran from 2018 to 2022, measuring earthquakes on the Martian surface. HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Experiment) continues to track old landing sites like this one, some even dating back to the 1970s, for a scientific purpose.

InSight landed in a dusty area and eventually became covered in enough dust to make it difficult to discern in HiRISE images like this one. The landing itself also dumped dust from a larger area and that dark mark on the surface has also gradually faded over time.

InSight tracking images, like the one above taken on April 1, 2024, are used to estimate how quickly dust accumulates. This helps scientists understand how recent other disturbances on the Martian surface, such as new impact craters, might also be. reports the HiRISE instrument website.