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

[atomoid]

Since it sounds like TWINS is will be keeping close to real-time sampling (twice/second), it would seem possible to run logic that would trigger upon profiles of any dust devil or other significant pressure events passing over the station so that it could automatically record image sequences in hopes of capturing detailed sequences of such events. The same data could keep the IDC aligned with the prevailing wind vectors and be able to catch them soon as they pass over, presuming dust devils tend to travel with the prevailing winds and don't veer too wildly..

[MahFL]

What sort of things do you think they might do with the cameras once all the important instruments are deployed and working? Mosaic of the soil near the lander? A nice time lapse showing a complete Martian sol at maybe one frame a minute?

Nothing, the mission is to listen absolutely quietly for quakes.

[Hungry4info]

Any idea what will be done with the arm? Obviously nothing kinetic, but I was wondering if there was some position it could be placed in to assist in reducing noise from the cables or lander.

[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?

[PaulH51]

New images are on the InSight mission server, (sol 53) but I'm not sure what they are showing. There are also Some new images from sols 50 and 52

[atomoid]

here's an animated gif of all the ICC frames (except the darkest ones) from sol "zero" to sol 52 56 showing major clearing event between sol44 and sol46

(sized for 3mb limit)EDIT: updated to sol56

[PaulH51]

here's an animated gif of all the ICC frames

Great animation Atomoid Hopefully more of those events soon...

Here is a tweet from the SEIS team containing an animated GIF of an attempt to tug the SEIS tether pinning mass on sol 56, the scoop just brushed the top of the top of the pin, this caused a little movement at the shunt on the loop, but the IDC images acquired later confirmed the loop did not open. I guess we will see another attempt very soon Tweet link
Sol 56 Raw images Link

[PaulH51]

Animated GIF using two IDC frames of Insight's deck (camera calibration target) from Sol's 12 and 58, they were closely aligned and were acquired at similar solar times.
Note the accumulation of dust in that short time:
No image processing except the time stamps/credits and the animation in PhotoScape

[PaulH51]

Another animated GIF, this time before and after images of a successful tug on the pinning mass on the umbilical tether for SEIS.
The service loop has opened! But has it opened far enough to reduce noise? Images from sols 56 and 59

[PaulH51]

The service loop has opened! But has it opened far enough to reduce noise? Images from sols 56 and 59

Translating a Tweet from Gabriel Pont (SEIS Instrument Manager) he states that the second attempt to separate the relaxation loop from SEIS was not sufficient. It will take a third...

Link

[JTN]

Here's one tweet from David Mimoun ("@NASAInsight co-I") that thinks we're done after the third pull:

Load Shunt Assembly is finally good to go 😃 The separation looks good enough to go forward with the Wind and Thermal Shield Deployment. Go @InSight_IPGP !

The @Insight_IPGP ("SEIS") account is more cautious. Google translation of Tweet 1:

It is done ! The third pull on my cable in the ground 61 by @NASAInSight robotic arm allowed to separate the two plates of the LSA on Mars! The technical and scientific team is currently evaluating the gauge level.

Tweet 2:

An animated sequence showing the first three attempts to pull my cable from the point of view of the @NASAInSight cameras. Seismologists are currently evaluating the situation to determine if the opening of the LSA can be considered nominal

[MahFL]

New pic on raw site confirms separation :

[PaulH51]

Here's an animation using the IDC images from sols 56, 59 and 60

[PaulH51]

News release from the SEIS twitter account in French Link

I'm still going through a rough translation, but it covers in detail the recent events including a report of a 20% drop in output from the solar arrays over a three day period due to a dust storm.

Google translated version (English) Link