Largest Marsquake Ever Recorded by InSight and It Could Be The Lander's Last Big One

Planetary scientists have waited years for NASA's InSight to record a "big" Marsquake, but it might have come as the lander runs out of time (and sun).

Rocky Planet iconRocky Planet
By Erik Klemetti
May 26, 2022 7:45 PMMay 26, 2022 7:46 PM
InSight on Mars
A shot of the dust-covered solar panel on NASA's InSight Lander, April 24, 2022. Credit: NASA.

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Time is running out for NASA's InSight lander on Mars. The plucky mission that landed on the red planet in late November 2018 and since then (with a few hiccups), it has been diligently recording seismic activity. The primary goals of InSight were to better understand how geologically active Mars might be and map out the planet's interior. By that measure, InSight was a massive success. Yet, it is the Martian dust that swirls in the air and settles on InSight's solar panels that is bringing it all to an end.

The realm of extraterrestrial seismology is a small place. The only objects in our solar system where we have put seismometers to measure quakes are the Moon and Mars. The Moon hosted working seismometers from 1969 to 1977. During that time they recorded thousands over that 8 year span.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.