While we are all dealing with the epidemic that is the coronavirus (COVID-19), the smart people at NASA have a problem of their own at the moment. Their InSight lander is currently on the surface of Mars and has run into some unexpected issue during its mission to explore and study the planet.
The InSight has a digging probe that was designed to burrow beneath the surface of Mars, like a jackhammer. However, the drill got stuck during the procedure because Mars’ soil is a bit clumpier than scientists would have expected.
After several failed attempts to get it out, the team at NASA had to get a bit creative. In the end, the probe got freed by giving it a solid smack with InSight’s own shovel.
ALSO READ
These Microscopic Living Creatures Can Survive On The Moon
NASA expected the probe, also called the ‘the mole’, to dig its way through the sand-like terrain, however, because the Martian soil clumped together, the whole apparatus got stuck in the ground.
A bit of good news from #Mars: our new approach of using the robotic arm to push the mole appears to be working! The teams @NASAJPL/@DLR_en are excited to see the images and plan to continue this approach over the next few weeks. 💪 #SaveTheMole
FAQ: https://t.co/wnhp7c1gPT pic.twitter.com/5wYyn7IwVo
— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) March 13, 2020
The last-resort maneuver of hitting the mole with the shovel, programming InSight’s robotic arm to land down on the mole was risky because it risked damaging fragile power and communication lines that were attached nearby. It’s a good thing that the engineers spent a few months practicing this move in simulations before their real attempt.
Well, now that the InSight lander is free to roam about the Martian planet, it can finally continue on its mission. Let’s hope that NASA finds a way for us to live on Mars, because things are getting crazy here on Earth.
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
ALSO READ
Shockingly Dumb: Ex-Senator’s Sister Accused of Spreading Coronavirus
