An Insight into InSight

NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) landed on Mars on 26th November, 2018. The InSight Mission placed a single stationary rover on the surface of Mars to explore the deep interior of our neighbouring planet.

As I write this post, the rover is flexing (quite literally). The rover has an arm to secure the heat probe, the seismometer and other devices on the surface of Mars. The lander will take pictures of the instrument deployment area, and start monitoring the weather and surface temperature at its new home. But since the heat probe and seismometer need to be on the surface of Mars to collect data, they have to wait a few more weeks before they can be fully deployed. Here's a quick simulation of how the rover's supposed to work.

Another "unplanned treat" is the recording of the "Martian Winds". The silver dome in the picture above has pressure sensors that record even the most minute changes in the pressure and direction of Mars' carbon dioxide filled air. "The solar panels on the lander's sides are perfect acoustic receivers," said Professor Tom Pike, who leads the seismometer experiment from Imperial College London.

You can listen to the Martian Winds here.

In case you’re curious, the air movement in the recording is a northwesterly one. Good to know we can rely on InSight’s “ears” for that purpose, though its science target is below the surface, not skimming above it.

The Rover also Posts Selfies, of Course

That's all I have to say about the InSight rover today. Honestly, the fact that we are exploring a new planet and unraveling new facts and secrets about it at a steadily increasing rate is absolutely incredible. It shows how far we've come as a species. I seriously hope the rover either makes a groundbreaking discovery that will bring us a step closer to inhabiting Mars or finds some Martians (I'm good with either).

Thank you for reading and have a great day ahead!

-Ritin Malhotra