The instrument, called the Mole, has been trying to drill through the Martian surface since early 2019.
According to the creators, it was supposed to penetrateto a depth of at least 3 m. This should have been achieved using technology when the device drills and simultaneously buries itself in order to overcome the resistance of the planet’s soil due to the additional weight.
However, due to encountered stronger thanIt was expected that the resistance of the Martian surface could not cope with its task. “Mole” was able to drill only 2-3 centimeters into Mars; scientists tried to “help” it by placing a bucket on it, which is also equipped with the InSight probe, but this did not help.
After the instrument completed 500 additional strikes on Saturday, January 9, the research team decided to stop trying.
NASA message
InSight landed on Mars in November 2018. The device is designed to study the geological structure of Mars, for which it is equipped with a seismometer and other instruments. It was later joined by NASA's newest Mars rover, Perseverance.
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