InSight Surface Operations, 26 Nov 2018- 21 Dec 2022 Options

[nprev]

Congratulations to the InSight team on a successful landing! We'll discuss the remainder of the mission here.

[Phil Stooke]

Maybe not...


InSight Mars Lander Robotics Instrument Deployment System
A. Trebi-Ollennu et al.
Space Sci Rev (2018) 214:93
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-018-0520-7


"On InSight, guarded move command capability will enable IDA physical properties experiments enumerated in Golombek et al. (2018) such as indentation, collapse of trench walls, and scraped and excavated dump piles."


Geology and Physical Properties Investigations by the InSight Lander
M. Golombek et al.
Space Sci Rev (2018) 214:84
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-018-0512-7

"The IDA can be used to generate sand/soil piles of different size and aspect ratios next to the lander (Fig. 12). Those piles could be monitored with the cameras for generating time series of the piles and their immediate surroundings. Ideally the evolution of the shape of the piles may be tracked by taking stereo images at regular intervals or after the wind blows. Depending on the wind activity (as measured by APSS), if a sand pile were to migrate away from the lander, a second pile could be created. Wind data can be collected and combined with the camera images for time lapse monitoring of changes...

The IDA has a scoop that can be used to conduct backhoe-style trenching, scraping, and scooping activities at the landing site...

The material scooped up by the arm during trenching or scraping can also be used to create a pile, which can be observed by the cameras. Multiple scoops and dumping procedures could build up larger piles."

Phil

[PaulH51]

Maybe not...

Nice (maybe) Thanks Phil, I wonder if they considered dumping some scoops of regolith on the SEIS tether to keep it at more even temperature during the day / night cycles to prevent / reduce thermal expansion? (edited)
Meanwhile the Sol 52 images are down (link)
Some movement of the scoop on the slightly above and what appears to be the far side of the tether pinning mass, but I cant see any contact or movement in the tether. Maybe it was just a dry run? Attached is a simple GIF using 2 ICC frames, other frames were taken later in the day with the ICC and IDC, one IDC has data drop out! Maybe that's the one that could have shown any movement in the shunt on the side of the loop?