Insight hits rock

[barkis]

The Insight Mars lander has been drilling into the martian terrain, but has apparently been held up by something too dense to get the drill through.

Possibly, it has encountered a hard rock, or gravel substance, so a rethink is underway to get around the problem.  I think the drillings are to facilitate the planting of heat measuring probes.

Ron.

 

[ronl]

https://www.universetoday.com/141679/insights-rock-hammer-is-about-half-a-meter-down-and-has-already-run-into-rocks/#more-141679 the full story is here, hope they work out a plan of action.

[barkis]

12 minutes ago, ronl said:

https://www.universetoday.com/141679/insights-rock-hammer-is-about-half-a-meter-down-and-has-already-run-into-rocks/#more-141679 the full story is here, hope they work out a plan of action.

I'm sure they will evolve a plan. Problem is, Insight is confined to where it sits on the surface, so if the Rock it has encountered is large slab, there's little hope of  finding a soft spot.  Hope that isn't the case though.

Ron.

 

[Ouroboros]

Are they surprised?  I don't think I've ever dug down anywhere and not hit rock/s. 

[Ouroboros]

2 minutes ago, barkis said:

I'm sure they will evolve a plan. Problem is, Insight is confined to where it sits on the surface, so if the Rock it has encountered is large slab, there's little hope of  finding a soft spot.  Hope that isn't the case though.

Ron.

 

Yeah. I was gonna say my solution is the shuffle over a bit and dig somewhere else. You'd have thought they'd have thought this was somewhere between likely to inevitable. Sod's Law if nothing else. 

[Ags]

Well, half a meter down is already much further than anyone has gone before. Can they reverse mole and try a new spot?

[barkis]

I suppose these little setbacks are inevitable, and no doubt there will be more of them as these tentative explore missions progress. There isn't a good enough substitute for presence of man himself, or woman for that matter.   However, for us mere mortals who will simply be on the sidelines, we shouldn't lose sight of the already superb and incredible achievements so far, as man strives towards exploring our own neighbourhood in space.

Cripes, you'd think I was writing a book ?.

Ron.

[LukeSkywatcher]

C4 is your friend.

[barkis]

A bit of pure fantasy on my part here, but I wonder what reaction there would be, If the drill  on reaching the maximum depth, black gold gushed out.   

 NASA would no doubt call on Bruce Willis to form a team and get out there.?

OK, I've turned my Dopey switch off.

Ron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

myDopey 

 

[Ags]

I think they would be more excited if they hit liquid water ?

[barkis]

18 hours ago, Ags said:

I think they would be more excited if they hit liquid water ?

I agree, and more likely than Oil, which is not really a candidate ?.