Discovering the Secrets of Mars: A Closer Look at the Mars InSight Mission
With a distance of more than 100 million miles from Earth, the idea of understanding Mars is a daunting prospect. However, with the Mars InSight Mission, scientists are one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of the Red Planet. In 2018, NASA successfully landed its first spacecraft on Mars surface with the InSight mission, marking the beginning of a new era in planetary exploration. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the Mars InSight Mission and examine its objectives, achievements and what it means for future space exploration.
The Science Behind the InSight Mission
The InSight mission aims to study Mars’ interior structure, composition and seismic activity. InSight stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, and is equipped with a seismometer, heat flow probe, and a radio-science instrument. These instruments provide scientists with a unique opportunity to understand what lies beneath Mars’s surface.
One of the primary goals of the InSight mission is to understand how Mars and other planets (including Earth) were formed. Scientists believe that Mars holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of the early solar system. By studying the planet’s interior structure and composition, scientists can learn about the planetary processes that formed the solar system.
What Has the InSight Mission Achieved So Far?
Since its landing on Mars in November 2018, InSight has made several discoveries. One of the most significant is that Mars is seismically active, with a few dozen Marsquakes detected so far. These quakes have provided insight into Mars’s interior, allowing scientists to study the planet’s structure and composition. InSight has also measured the planet’s temperature and heat flow, providing crucial data about Mars’s internal energy and evolution.
Another important achievement of the InSight mission has been the detection of magnetic signals. These signals have helped scientists to better understand the planet’s core and mantle dynamics. The data collected by InSight has also shed light on the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars. This information is critical in understanding how Mars loses its atmosphere.
What Does the Future Hold for the InSight Mission?
The InSight mission was initially planned to last for two years, but due to its success, NASA extended its mission for another two years until 2022. The InSight lander’s robotic arm was repurposed to help with drilling activities, allowing scientists to collect more data about Mars’s interior structure.
In addition, NASA plans to launch the Mars Sample Return mission, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), in the mid-2020s. This mission aims to return Mars samples back to Earth for analysis. The InSight mission will play a crucial role in identifying the ideal location for the Mars Sample Return mission, ensuring that the most valuable samples are collected.
Conclusion
The Mars InSight Mission is not just another space exploration mission; it’s a groundbreaking effort to understand the mysteries of the universe. InSight has already made several discoveries and provided scientists with valuable data about Mars’s interior structure and composition. With the mission’s extended timeline until 2022 and the prospect of finding more information, we can hope to understand the Red Planet like never before. The InSight mission is a testament to human ingenuity, and it is a stepping stone towards exploring the vast universe.
