Even though we're no longer hearing from InSight, it's still teaching us about Mars. By monitoring how much dust collects on the surface - and how much gets vacuumed away by wind and dust devils - we learn more about the wind, dust cycle, and other processes that shape the planet.
Dust plays a critical role in both the atmosphere and landscape of Mars. It can block out light from the Sun and shape the surface. And it has implications for future missions; as well as coating solar panels, the dust can wreak havoc when it gets into mechanical parts.
The imagery has helped scientists understand how quickly marks around craters can fade over time as dust covers them, giving an idea of their age. InSight used rockets to land in 2018, leaving marks visible from orbit.
Hopeful that a passing dust devil might clean the arrays, NASA has been listening for a signal from the lander, but with not a peep from InSight over the last two years, that effort will end at the close of 2024.
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