JPL Engineers Test Heat Probe Strategies

Engineers in a Mars-like test area at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory try possible strategies to aid the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP³) on NASA's InSight lander, using engineering models of the lander, robotic arm and instrument.

In this image, the model's robotic arm is lifting up part of HP³ to expose the self-hammering mole that is partially embedded in the testbed soil. Standing mid-ground are engineers Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu (left) and Troy Lee Hudson (right). Lights in the testbed intended to simulate Mars' lighting conditions give the image an orange tint. Engineers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), which provided HP³, have also been working on strategies to help the probe.