The "mole" on nasa's insight mars lander has experienced issues with digging into the martian surface, with reports of it popping out of its hole and struggling with the soil. The cause of the problem is unclear, with some outlets citing cement-like soil and energy issues, while others suggest the mole has successfully buried itself. The insight mars lander mission has been retired after years of operation, during which it detected marsquakes and monitored other martian activity.