Regular-Cranberry-91 t1_iu4btmn wrote on October 28, 2022 at 1:34 PM

Can't it's little helicopter friend buzz down close to the panels and blow off some dust?

asad137 t1_iu4g3wl wrote on October 28, 2022 at 2:05 PM

Helicopter is too far away.

bucksfromthegulag t1_iu4j5vh wrote on October 28, 2022 at 2:27 PM

Helicopter is with the perseverance rover, this is the insight lander. And as mentioned already, it is way too far away (around 3400km)

SigniaSyndie t1_iu6w71m wrote on October 29, 2022 at 12:30 AM

No, the dust is so small that it's electrostatically charged. Even if the helicopter could reach this different lander- and it can't- it wouldn't pull enough dust off the panels for it to be worthwhile. This is something NASA plans for, and is working hard to try to solve, because the moon has the same issues.