Reported NASA, Their vehicle called InSight was launched to Mars on May 5, 2018. The unmanned robot finally managed to land on the planet Mars on November 26, 2018, Earth time. As usual, this vehicle is being used by NASA to explore Mars and provide a lot of information about this barren planet.
Well, the latest news states that InSight is in its final days. Good, As a science lover, here are some facts about InSight that you need to know.
1. Spending a lot of money
NASA has clearly invested heavily in the InSight project. page The Planetary Society reported that NASA spent about 180 million US dollars or IDR 2.8 trillion on the InSight project. This does not include other costs necessary for the development of the spacecraft and the launch of the Atlas V-401 vehicle, which is InSight’s carrier rocket.
However, when totaled, Project InSight has spent only a relatively small budget item at NASA, which is approximately 0.0023% of all US government spending over the past 9 years (prior to InSight’s launch in 2018). The InSight exploration project on Mars isn’t NASA’s only successful mission to the Red Planet either.
2. Purpose of launching InSight
one of the photos of the conditions of Mars taken by the InSight spacecraft (doc. NASA)InSight is the short name for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport. The goal of the InSight project and launch is to recognize and study the interior of Mars. This could provide a scientific picture of the history of rock formation on the planet.
NASA’s robotic vehicle has detected traces of seismic activity using a seismometer. Indirectly, this research and research can also be used as a scientific picture of the composition of the material that lies far below the surface of Mars.
3. Bring important tools
portrait of InSight conditions covered by Martian dust (doc. NASA/JPL-Caltech)NASA on its official website explains that the InSight mobile device has brought several important tools useful as suppliers of information about the Earth. Some of the notable instruments brought to Mars are:
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- Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) specially made to record the movements of the ground on the planet Mars.
- Heat Flow and Physical Properties Probe (HP3), a mechanical component that helps InSight excavate and sample some soil parts on Mars.
- Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (RISE), is an instrument with special sensors that can detect or measure planetary motion.
In addition to the main tools above, InSight is also equipped with a robotic arm, two cameras, an IR radiometer and a laser reflector. Instruments and mechanical equipment aboard InSight accompanied this spacecraft for 4 years to survive on the planet that lost its magnetic field.
Read also: Why does the NASA program use Greek mythological names? Here’s the reason
4. It started to weaken a few months ago
the last photo that InSight sent to NASA before the vehicle completely discharged (NASA doc) “My power is really low, so this may be the last picture I can send. Don’t worry about me though – my time here has been both productive and peaceful. If I may continue to speak to my mission team, it will I will, but I’ll close here soon. Thanks for sticking with me. (@NASAInSight)
InSight has been unloading for the last few months. Indeed, through Twitter uploads, NASA has stated that now is the time to part ways with InSight. In the remnants of the existing “breath”, InSight is still able to send its latest photo. The image above is the last photo InSight sent to NASA a few days ago.
From the outset, NASA predicted that InSight will only be able to perform its tasks optimally for 4 years. NASA officially ended the InSight mission and activities on December 15, 2022. This mission was considered a success because humans managed to use the mini technology to control themselves from distant interplanetary distances.
5. Will still send rovers to Mars
Perseverance before Mars launch (NASA doc)Of course, NASA’s mission won’t stop at InSight. NASA also successfully sent a new rover named Perseverance to Mars on July 30, 2020. The latest robotic technology was confirmed to have landed safely on Mars on February 18, 2021.
Up to now, Perseverance has obtained a lot of important data that will be used as research material for NASA. Not only that, the American space agency also seems more interested in landing humans on Mars than returning them to the moon. So, it’s quite interesting to see what other steps NASA will take in future exploration of Mars.
So, those were the interesting facts and the end of the story about InSight, a Mars explorer who served until he ran out of power. Hope this article can enrich your knowledge in science, yes.
Also Read: 5 Facts About NASA’s Perseverance Vehicle That Successfully Landed On Mars
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