The Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package ( HP3 ) is one sophisticated experiment of NASA ’s InSight Mission . dub the “ Mole ” it ’s a self - hammering probe designed to dig beneath the surface to study the midland temperature of Mars . But since the military mission landed on Mars , there ’s been an offspring ; the Molecan’t dig deeply enough .

The soil where InSight landed appear to be different from previously explored locations making the design of the Mole ineffective to do its occupation . To the rescue has number the robotic scoop of InSight . Over the last few month , the scoop has been used topush down on the Mole . This was consider a risky move , though , as that ’s where the cables that tether the probe are settle .

This gamble has paid off and the Mole   is now   to be almost amply in the dirt . As report in ablog postby Dr Tilman Spohn , Principal Investigator of HP3 , the Mole give out from 7 centimeters ( 2.8 inches ) above the surface on March 11 ( Sol 458 ) to the grievous bodily harm now touching the Earth’s surface on May 30 ( Sol 536 ) . The Mole digs using friction , but the regolith ( extraterrestrial soil ) at this situation has not provided enough to spellbind for the Mole not to bounce back , which is why the scoop is being used to hold it down .

This overture seems to have worked so far , but the team has had to be very careful not to rush it . Besides the danger of damage the experiment , this attempt at pushing had to be done without disturbing the other experiment too much . It was bear out in six academic term every other week . Now , it has reach the point of truth : The next session will be the “ liberal - Mole ” tryout , where the little experiment will hear to prod all by itself .

“ The next step , the free - Mole tryout , will be very exciting . But what if the Mole is just not deep enough in for sufficient friction ? " Dr Spohnponders . " We then have two options , either satiate the nether region to provide more rubbing and press on the regolith , or utilize the grievous bodily harm to push at the back - cap again , but this time with its top rather than with its level bottom airfoil . This would be a middling more difficult operation but doable , as the Instrument Deployment Arm ( IDA ) team think . “

If all pop off well , over the next several calendar week , the Mole might at long last reach the point of comprehend all by itself .