As of October 22, 2022, InSight’s seismometer is collecting data again after being switched off to conserve energy after a recent dust storm. The lander was generating an average of 280 watt-hours of energy per Martian day, or sol. The tau, or level of dust cover in the atmosphere, was estimated at 1.45 (typical tau levels outside of dust season range from 0.6-0.7).
Month: October 2022
NASA InSight’s Power Level as of Oct. 19, 2022
On October 19, 2022, InSight was generating an average between 275 and 285 watt-hours of energy per Martian day, or sol. The tau, or level of dust cover in the atmosphere, was estimated at 1.5 (typical tau levels outside of dust season range from 0.6-0.7).
NASA InSight’s Power Level as of Oct. 8, 2022
On October 8, 2022, InSight was generating an average of 300 watt-hours of energy per Martian day, or sol – an increase after a sharp decline last week from 430 watt-hours per sol to a low of 275 watt-hours per sol. The decline was caused by a regional dust storm which, though thousands of miles from InSight’s location, is lofting dust into the atmosphere around it. The storm has started to wane, but dust particles will continue falling out of the atmosphere for weeks. InSight has minimized lander operations in order to keep its batteries from losing their charge while the solar arrays are getting less sunlight.