Martian Insight should have brought some mini robotic vehicles along?

[Robert Zwilling]

Mars Insight lander cost around almost billion but doesn't have wheels
I wasn't paying close attention to the Insight program. I thought it would somewhat mobile. Dreams of another good size robot cruising around Mars making thorough geological measurements. The massive robotic arm has a good camera and hopefully comes with a non abrasive dust rag. What would have happened if it landed on solid rock with no layer of dust on it. It landed where it was supposed to, in sandy soil, but it seems like a big gamble on what it would land on. It would have been nice to have one or two dirt cheap little mobile robots accompany to just scout around the area.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Audible recordings from Mars created by Martian wind blowing on the solar panels.
Audible record of Martian wind vibrating Insights solar panels

 

[RJM Corbet]

Mars Insight lander cost around almost billion but doesn't have wheels
I wasn't paying close attention to the Insight program. I thought it would somewhat mobile. Dreams of another good size robot cruising around Mars making thorough geological measurements. The massive robotic arm has a good camera and hopefully comes with a non abrasive dust rag. What would have happened if it landed on solid rock with no layer of dust on it. It landed where it was supposed to, in sandy soil, but it seems like a big gamble on what it would land on. It would have been nice to have one or two dirt cheap little mobile robots accompany to just scout around the area.

There were two accompanying 'cube sat' robots named 'Wall E' and 'Eva', but they were to enable the landing and descent, I think. They did their job and carried on out into space ... I think

EDIT: It's all in here somewhere:

Overview | Timeline – NASA's InSight Mars Lander

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Looks like the future ones will have more capabilities.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Without an atmosphere I guess drones are out of the question which makes them either using low orbital sweeps to save energy or crawling on the ground. The cubes had compressed air for propulsion or flight correction.