InSight Mars Lander Unfurls Solar Wings Amid 'Quiet Beauty' of Red Planet

[Judi Lynn]

By Tariq Malik, Space.com Managing Editor | November 26, 2018 10:03pm ET

PASADENA, Calif. — After a dramatic and exhilarating landing on Mars, NASA's newest Martian robot InSight has found some serenity on the Red Planet. And now, it's soaking up the sun.

The InSight Mars lander has successfully unfurled its two fan-like solar arrays, allowing the robot to generate the power it will need to study the Martian interior for the next two years, NASA officials said late Monday (Nov. 26). NASA received confirmation that the solar arrays were deployed at 8:30 p.m. EST (0130 Nov. 27 GMT), about five-and-a-half hours after InSight landed on Mars.

"The InSight team can rest a little easier tonight now that we know the spacecraft solar arrays are deployed and recharging the batteries," Tom Hoffman, NASA's InSight project manager here at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), said in a statement. "It's been a long day for the team. But tomorrow begins an exciting new chapter for InSight: surface operations and the beginning of the instrument deployment phase." [NASA's InSight Mars Lander: Full Coverage]

Each of InSight's two solar wings are 7 feet (2.2 meters) wide. When unfurled, the arrays give the lander a wingspan equivalent in size to a "big 1960s convertible," NASA officials said in the same statement.

More:
https://www.space.com/42550-insight-mars-lander-solar-arrays-deployed.html?utm_source=notification

[yonder]

1. That radiator-looking thing at the lower left of the first photo in the link

first reminded me of a cast iron cylinder barrel from an old British motorcycle. Funny thought for me. Looking closer though, it appears somewhat irregular or possibly damaged. If damaged, how did it happen, was it planned for and is it serious?

Inquiring minds and all that.

[sdfernando]

2. That is probably where Mike Pence touched it.

We all know he doesn't read "Do Not Touch" signs

[yonder]

3. Heh, heh. I'm not sure him or his boss can read at all.

"Don't touch any AJS, JAP or Matchless parts on this spacecraft. That goes for you and your juvenile-in-chief boss, Mike".