NASA ’s InSight missionary work on Mars has been full of success , for example , the detection ofmarsquakesover the last few months . But there have also been struggle . One of its musical instrument , nickname the mole , has not been able to successfully move into position . Now the military mission squad is trying a peculiar unexampled approach .
The seawall , or , more specifically , Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package ( HP3 ) , is a ego - forge passion probe . It is design to burrow itself up to 5 metre ( 16 understructure ) below the control surface . Unfortunately , since its location on February 28 , 2019 , it has not been able to dig more than 35 centimeters ( 14 inches ) . The commission medical specialist are now using the lander ’s robotic arm to assist to solve the military issue .
The mole seems to be stick on a peculiarly tough piece of grime and it does n’t seem to be capable of bring forth enough friction to dig through . Friction is primal to the mission ’s intent . Without it , the self - hammering , as has been happening , makes the groin just bounce in its post as it cringe .
The squad is ready to utilise a tactic called " pinning . " The robotlike arm of the lander will be used to becalm HP3 and over the next few week , they trust that this approach might go to some digging forward motion .
" We ’re going to try pressing the side of the max against the jetty , pinning it to the paries of its hole , " InSight Deputy Principal Investigator Sue Smrekar , of NASA ’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , say in astatement . " This might increase clash enough to keep it moving fore when mole hammering summarise . "
The mole found itself in peculiar soil . Based on the data reported by the detector , HP3 encountered a strange layer of duricrust 5 to 10 centimeters ( 2 - 4 inch ) thick . When the mole hammer down , the crust clumps rather than strike around the instrument , so the mole has not been able-bodied to penetrate this tough level . This is unlike any dirt previously encountered on Mars missions and the mole was not project for it .
" All we know about the soil is what we can see in ikon InSight sends us , " say Tilman Spohn , HP3 ’s principal investigator at the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . " Since we ca n’t bring the soil to the mole , maybe we can bring the mol to the land by pinning it in the pickle . "
The team will also use the robotic arm in another manner . It will scoop up the stain ( its original role ) and stream it into the fix , hopefully increasing the friction . We hope that these two approaches will be enough for the gram molecule to continue digging .
