(CNN) NASA may have a multi-billion dollar budget and some of the most advanced technology in the world, but when the Mars InSight lander got into a spot of bother, scientists came up with a charmingly rudimentary fix for its space technology: Hit it with a shovel.

The trouble started when a heat probe, known as the "mole," did not manage to dig into the red planet as planned last year.

This was due to a lack of friction, which the probe needs in order to burrow into the soil, according to a NASA statement

After several months, the NASA InSight Twitter account outlined its strategy as "giving it a push with my robotic arm."

And the team has now announced that progress is being made.