Future of InSight’s heat probe dim
Blocked after drilling down only one foot instead of fifteen, engineers are increasingly worried that they will not be able to get InSight’s heat probe past whatever is blocking to so it can begin getting data of Mars’s inner thermal environment.
They are considering a bunch of options, including using InSight’s robot arm to either give the probe a nudge to help it get past the obstruction, or even use the arm to push the probe.
None of the options are encouraging it seems.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Blocked after drilling down only one foot instead of fifteen, engineers are increasingly worried that they will not be able to get InSight’s heat probe past whatever is blocking to so it can begin getting data of Mars’s inner thermal environment.
They are considering a bunch of options, including using InSight’s robot arm to either give the probe a nudge to help it get past the obstruction, or even use the arm to push the probe.
None of the options are encouraging it seems.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The Apollo missions showed how difficult drilling in situ can be. I thought from the first I read of this mission, with no roving capabilities, blind drilling is going to need some pure luck. Nasa/JPL really seemed to pitch this part of the mission as a piece of cake…
Agree. Chances of success must have been 50/50 at best. The amount of rock under the surface must be all encompassing
So…they seriously thought they could go down 15 feet, without encountering a single glitch? I’d like to see the statistical analysis that was made (or not) of this eventuality. Somebody thought it was a great idea and signed off on it, time for them to become famous.
What is Plan “B” and Plan “C”?
Armageddon–
“You guys are NASA” scene
https://youtu.be/_B7MzBmjaJ8
0:32
Hunt for Red October
–the relevant clip-
https://youtu.be/YULytWUaKR0
0:23
How do we know that there isn’t just a solid layer of bedrock under a thin layer of soil?
To bad they can’t just pull it back up and move it over a foot.
I agree with all of the above…. The most we have checked out Martian soil is a few centimetres… And there is bedrock poking out everywhere…. I presumed this little mole probe would have rock breaking capabilities….
Has the probe hit bedrock?
If a pebble can wreck the mission, someone should be held accountable for such a stupid oversight…
Mars2020 will have a Ground Penetrating Radar. Perhaps useful before digging around I guess.
Wayne, that Armageddon link you sent should be daily required viewing for anyone in the USG space biz, Tx!