As early as next Monday, NASA researchers are getting ready for an exciting event. The InSight spacecraft will land on Mars as planned. He will explore the interior of the Red Planet for the first time.
InSight probe
It is an unmanned lander that was selected by NASA in 2012 from among three other candidates. Originally, its launch was dated to March 2016, but there were a few complications along the way that extended this moment. Ultimately, the probe took off on May 5, 2018 from the Vandenberg Air Force base with the Atlas V-401 rocket. Its landing site is scheduled for November 26, 2018 at 21:00 Polish time.
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Purpose of the InSight probe
The main assumption behind the InSight landing on Mars is its study and understanding of the processes that shape the Red Planet in the early stages of the solar system's evolution. This will help scientists study the formation of rocky planets, including Earth. The study of Mars is also to answer the question why he and the Earth, although they arose from the same primordial matter and at a similar time, are currently very different from each other.
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The largest parking lot on Mars
The place where it will land InSight is the flat but very stable surface of Elysium Planitia. NASA scientists report that this area is considered the largest parking lot of the Red Planet.
Polish accent
Although the mission is carried out mostly by Americans, France and Germany, Poland has its share in it. The ASTRONIKA company, with the help of many other partners, developed the soil penetrator mechanism. It should be remembered that this mission is very important compared to other space missions, and the participation of Poland is a great honor. This is the first time that Poles provide a complete mechanism in such an important mission as this one.
