When a big space mission ends, it’s a time for both reflection and appreciation. Wednesday marked the formal conclusion of NASA’s effort to probe the innards of Mars with the InSight lander. Since it was discovered that dust was obstructing sunlight from reaching InSight’s solar arrays, we have anticipated this day.

The spacecraft’s solar-powered batteries have ran out of energy, a situation engineers refer to as a “dead bus,” according to a statement released by NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

On December 18 the lander initially didn’t react to Earth’s contacts. It has been anticipated that InSight may have reached the end of operations, as the agency said at the time, “the lander’s power has been diminishing for months, as planned.” The outcome predicted by the expert has materialised. On December 15th, it last communicated with us.

InSight’s lead investigator, Bruce Banerdt of JPL, stated, “We’ve regarded of InSight as our buddy and colleague on Mars for the last four years, so it’s sad to say goodbye.” But now it may finally retire in comfort.

On November 26th, 2018, InSight touched down in the Elysium Planitia area of Mars. The stationary lander may not have been as flashy as NASA’s popular Mars rovers, but it has completely changed our perspective on Mars’s history. The phrase “taking the vital signs of Mars” became one of InSight’s slogans.

The lander has been given a mandate extension that will take it beyond its initial expiration date of 2022. InSight ran through various difficulties on the road, most notably when its burrowing “mole” couldn’t go very far. While NASA had planned for the mole to measure Earth’s core temperature, they scrapped the mission in early 2021.

InSight’s seismometer has recorded several marsquakes, including one that registered an absolute unit of a shaker earlier this year, providing some of the most profound revelations to date. The InSight mission has provided scientists with a wealth of data that will keep them busy for decades.

NASA’s Opportunity rover died at the hands of Martian dust, and now InSight has met the same fate. There was a covering of dust on the lander’s solar panels, and the agency had anticipated a whirlwind would sweep it away. NASA had to switch off scientific equipment and put the seismometer’s job first because of a lack of electricity.

Earlier in 2022, InSight sent Earth its farewell snapshot, revealing how thick the dust had become. The seismometer, which was covered by a dome, and the stony Martian terrain were visible in the lander’s last photograph, taken on December 11. NASA sent a heartfelt note from InSight’s point of view with the photo: “This picture may be the last I can transmit before my battery dies. Don’t fret about me; I’ve been quite busy and peaceful here.”