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insight

The Curiosity rover is still trundling effectually the ruddy planet, and NASA'southward side by side aggressive rover mission remains a few years away. All the same, the space agency has a not-wheeled Mars mission launching this very calendar week, weather permitting. The InSight lander will delve deep into the interior of Mars, searching for clues to its past, present, and future.

NASA plans to launch InSight aboard an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. InSight will share space with a mission called Mars Cube One, which aims to test CubeSat navigation and communication engineering science in deep infinite. InSight and the cubesats are destined for Mars, and that's a first for NASA. No, information technology'due south obviously not the first mission to Mars, merely it'll be the first interplanetary launch from the U.s. west coast.

The launch is scheduled for 7:05 AM Eastern Time on May fifth. Afterward InSight lifts off, we won't hear much from information technology until it reaches Mars in November of this twelvemonth. InSight is based on the pattern of the 2008 Phoenix lander, then it will land propulsively near the equator in a region chosen Elysium Planitia. It'southward solar powered, then that location will let a longer lifespan of about two years. It's also a relatively apartment region with few rocks to disrupt the landing.

Phoenix

InSight will take a very like blueprint to Phoenix (pictured in a higher place)

Most missions to Mars focus on the surface and atmosphere, just InSight will be the outset to look within the planet. The lander'southward primary instrument is known as the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS). Afterwards landing on the planet, InSight will use a robot arm to place the SEIS package directly on the surface, where information technology will take the first seismic readings of Mars. With that information, scientists will be able to build a 3D map of Mars' interior. SEIS volition also monitor for marsquakes (earthquakes, but on Mars). InSight besides has a "Heat Flow and Physical Properties Bundle," which is basically a fancy thermometer that hammers itself up to v meters into the surface. This instrument should help u.s.a. reconstruct the thermal history of Mars.

InSight is part of the Discovery plan, which aims to deport focused, lower-toll missions with input from the public. NASA volition take a pre-launch briefing with all the latest news on InSight on Thursday at four PM Eastern Fourth dimension. You lot'll be able to take hold of the briefing and launch on NASA's live feed page.