The Mars reconnaissance satellite MRO flying over Mars captured NASA’s Mars probe Insight and two Curiosity probes working on the surface of Mars.
In addition to the exploration ship Opportunity, which was perpetuated by a huge sandstorm last year on Mars, NASA’s exploration of Mars is currently active on the ground with Curiosity using a six-wheeled vehicle and Insight 2, which investigates the Mars earthquake while still not moving. In addition, in the space above Mars, the MRO orbits and regularly scans the surface of Mars to discover new terrain such as dry rivers and craters.
However, sometimes they use the MRO’s equipped camera (HiRISE) to shoot a fellow rover under their eyes. This is the photo in a recent press release by NASA.
Insight is currently identifying the Mars equator in an area called the Elysium Plain. The image was taken on September 23, 2019 at an altitude of 272 km. The image is clear, so you can see a 6m solar panel from the end of the lander. You can also see bright white spots, which are called dome protectors that cover the seismometer. It is also said that the nearby streaks were traces from dust swirls that hit the insights in May.
MRO once captured Insight in December 2018 in poor quality. However, it is said that this time, various factors such as reduction of dust in the air overlapped to capture a clearer image.
On the other hand, Curiosity is located 600 kilometers from here and works in areas where clay layers are buried. Comparing the photos taken before and after the work from May 31 to July 20, Curiosity is said to have moved 337m from Woodland Bay to Sandside Harbor.
It is still a lonely Mars surface, but in a little while, the number of colleagues will increase. NASA’s next-generation Mars probe, which is scheduled to launch next year, Mars 2020 and ESA’s ExoMars, are on the way. Related information can be found here .