Technology
Space /
USA
Harsh winter
NASA probe on Mars to be hibernated
Marte
Nicolas Lobos/Unsplash
Gabriela Ramos
4/15/2021
NASA's InSight probe, located on Mars since 2018, has shown some operational difficulties and, to avoid further damage, it will be put into hibernation. This circumstance represents a risk of high losses, since it is an investment of US $ 800 million.
Juli Kosolapova/Unsplash
The probe was in charge of the identification and location of earthquakes and eddies on the planet, in the region of Elysium Planitia, but there was an accumulation of dust on the ship's solar panels due to the lack of winds at the site, which hindered the absorption of energy, reducing battery capacity. For now, to try to control the situation, all the functions that are not essential to the probe's operation are being deactivated, remaining only those that guarantee its heating, fundamental for the preservation of all the parts that compose it, especially at this time of the year, which it is the coldest, with the possibility of temperatures reaching up to -130 degrees celsius.
According to InSight project manager Chuck Scott, the probe is working normally, but if the battery levels are zero, the mission is likely to be doomed to end prematurely. However, it is expected that the project schedule will be maintained and that the rig will recover its functions with the return of summer.
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Gabriela Ramos
Gabriela is the latest addition to the editorial team of our website, having provided us with her solid background in editing, publishing and photography, and her interest and training in aviation history and historiography. His good taste and common sense and great cleverness and sagacity in the selection of themes and materials greatly enriched our vocabulary and narrative style. Gabriela brought unusual predicates and came to stay, helping to point the way of success of our portal.
   
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