Insight Mars Lander Updates

InSight Mars Lander

Introduction:

     Humans started to explore Mars since 1960s. Exploration journey began with the launch of Soviet Union's spacecraft Mars 1M No.1 which failed in its first attempt. Among 12 Martian landers, Insight is one of the upcoming lander program of National Aeronautics Space Administration. It's most fundamental plan is to study deeper about Mars Surface. It had reached Vandenberg for launch in few months.

Insight Mars Lander:

     Insight is Mars Science Lander aimed to launch in May of 2018 and it will land on the surface of Mars in November 2018. After its landing, it will deploy its Seismometer & Heat Probe to perform radio science experiment. It will study and analyze the interior of the Mars body.

Mission Overview:

     Insight was manufactured and designed by NASA's Lockheed Martin Space Systems and controlled by Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The mission duration was planned for approx.two years. The full form of Insight - Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations Geodesy and Heat Transport. It is constructed using the same technology from Mars Phoenix Lander which successfully landed on surface of Mars in 2008. Its construction began in 19 May 2014 and completion in 27 May 2015.

Scientific Instruments:

1.  Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure
2. Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package
3. Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment
4. Temperature and Winds for InSight

Name Chip:

     Interesting part of this lander is Name Chip, for NASA's outreach program. NASA conducted two rounds of registering names and send it to Mars. As by 2017 1.6 million names were etched in a small chip (0.3 inch). The lander have two chips for carrying name to Mars.(* I also have a ticket to send my name to Mars | Thanks to the Program Committee and Insight lander)

Launch:

     The launch is scheduled between 5 May 2018 to 8 June 2018. It will be carried by Atlas-V rocket from Vandenberg Air Force base, California,United States. This will be the first interplanetary mission launched from California. The journey towards Mars will take 6.5 months of traveling time and about 484 million kilometer. The lander is planned to land in Elysium Planitia which is located slightly above the landing site of a Curiosity Rover.

Credit:

Image : NASA

Text : NASA | Wikipedia  

Tags: Space Updates | Insight Mars Lander | Fornax Space Missions