After a sustained journey of seven months through space, NASA’s Mars InSight probe successfully reached and touched down near the equator of the red planet. This marks the beginning of a two-year mission, known as InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport). The fundamental aim of this mission is to intricately study the interior of Mars to extract valuable data for scientific research.
Location: Elysium Planitia
InSight has landed at the Elysium Planitia, a flat-smooth plain situated just north of the equatorial line. This location is considered ideal for the study of the deep Martian interior. Elysium Planitia will ensure that InSight remains stationary and undisturbed throughout its mission. Interestingly, this is NASA’s first attempt at landing on Mars after the successful touchdown of the Curiosity rover in 2012.
Past Mars Missions: A History of Success and Failure
Space missions to Mars have always had a mixed bag of success and failure. Out of 43 attempts made by various space agencies worldwide to reach Mars with rovers, orbiters, and probes, more than half have failed. One notable example of such a failure is the loss of the European Space Agency’s ExoMars Schiaparelli craft during an attempted landing in October 2016.
Mars InSight Mission: Breakthrough in Mars Research
From its base on Earth, the NASA team will monitor radio signals relayed by InSight using several spacecraft and even terrestrial radio telescopes. The primary goal of Mars InSight is to listen for quakes and tremors, also known as “marsquakes,” which can reveal critical information about the Red Planet’s internal structure.
InSight’s mission aims to answer crucial questions about the formation of rocky planets in the early days of the solar system. Additionally, it will achieve several “firsts” in interplanetary science like positioning the first seismometer on the Martian surface to detect and analyse marsquakes.
Table of Expected Insights from Mars InSight Mission
| Anticipated Insights | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Information on Mars’ internal structure | Helps to understand planet formation better |
| Mars’ smaller size and lesser density | Aids in comparing Earth to Mars |
| Data on Mars’ core and magnetic field | Infers why Mars lost its atmosphere and became less habitable |
Using InSight to Solve Mysteries Related to Life on Mars
Experts suggest that data gathered from measuring marsquakes could reveal information such as the smaller size and lesser density of Mars compared to Earth and Venus. Scientists hope to use this information gathered by InSight to compare Earth to Mars and gain a deeper understanding of how a planet’s starting materials contribute to its potential to support life.
The lander is equipped with antennas to track its position and measure how much Mars wobbles on its axis. The degree of this wobble could indicate the size of the planet’s core and whether it’s molten or solid. This information could help scientists understand why Mars lost its magnetic field and much of its atmosphere, triggering a drop in temperature and increased surface radiation—factors that have rendered the planet less habitable. In addition to these instruments, the stationary InSight lander is also equipped with a six-foot robotic arm and a self-hammering “nail”, designed to burrow 16 feet into the ground to study heat transfer. These instruments will help provide valuable insights and answers to Martian mysteries.
