NASA’s Mars InSight Lander Captured in Final Dust-Covered Image

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's October 2024 photo marks the end of NASA's monitoring efforts for the defunct lander, which contributed significant data on Mars' interior and surface processes.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a farewell image of the InSight lander on October 23, 2024, showing it covered in Martian dust and blending into the landscape.
InSight ceased communication in December 2022 due to dust accumulation on its solar panels, and NASA will stop listening for signals by the end of this year.
The lander, operational from 2018 to 2022, provided groundbreaking data on Mars' interior, including the detection of marsquakes and the planet's liquid core.
Scientists continue to study dust patterns and wind dynamics on Mars using observations of InSight's resting site, offering insights critical for future missions.
The fading of blast marks from InSight's landing and its dust-covered panels are helping researchers understand surface aging and crater dating on Mars.