NASA’s InSight Waits Out Dust Storm – NASA Mars Exploration

InSight’s team is taking steps to help the solar-powered lander continue operating for as long as possible.

NASA’s InSight mission, which is expected to end in the near future, saw a recent drop in power generated by its solar panels as a continent-size dust storm swirls over Mars’ southern hemisphere. First observed on Sept. 21, 2022, by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the storm is roughly 2,175 miles (3,500 kilometers) from InSight and initially had little impact on the lander.

The mission carefully monitors the lander’s power level, which has been steadily…