Overview

• 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.