NASA's InSight spacecraft lands on Mars

NASA’s InSight robot lander has successfully touched down on the surface of Mars.

The spacecraft touched down on Monday, November 26, near Mars’ equator on the western side of a flat expanse of lava, Elysium Planitia, at 2:52pm EST (7:52PM GMT).

InSight will operate on the surface for one Martian year and 40 Martian days (sols) until November 24, 2020, studying the deep interior of Mars to learn how all celestial bodies with rocky surfaces formed, including those on Earth and the Moon.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said: “Today, we successfully landed on Mars for the eighth time in human history. InSight will study the interior of Mars and will teach us valuable science as we prepare to send astronauts to the Moon and later to Mars.”

My first picture on #Mars! My lens cover isn’t off yet, but I just had to show you a first look at my new home. More status updates:https://t.co/tYcLE3tkkS #MarsLanding pic.twitter.com/G15bJjMYxa

— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) November 26, 2018

InSight project manager Tom Hoffman at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) added: “We hit the Martian atmosphere at 12,300 mph (19,800 kilometres per hour), and the whole sequence to touching down on the surface took only six-and-a-half minutes.

"During that short span of time, InSight had to autonomously perform dozens of operations and do them flawlessly — and by all indications that is exactly what our spacecraft did."

InSight will begin to collect science data within the first week on Mars. At least two days after touchdown, its 5.9-foot-long robotic arms will be deployed to take images of the landscape.

The spacecraft’s journey from Vandenberg Air Force Base to the Martian surface lasted seven months, having launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on May 5.  Its landing signal was relayed to JPL in Pasadena, California, via NASA Mars Cube One CubeSeats – the first sent into deep space.

[caption id="attachment_69182" align="alignleft" width="655"] InSight's first photo after landing on Mars, of Elysium Planitia, taken using its lander-mounted, Instrument Context Camera (ICC). Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_69183" align="alignleft" width="655"] InSight image from the lander's arm. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech[/caption]