After six months in space and a harrowing seven minute descent to the surface, NASA’s InSight probe is now on Mars and sending back images, because science is amazing and human beings are goddamn incredible when we work together and it’s just something in my eye is all SHUT UP YOU’RE THE ONE CRYING.
There’s a quiet beauty here. Looking forward to exploring my new home. #MarsLanding pic.twitter.com/mfClzsfJJr
— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) November 27, 2018
InSight is the smallest probe to successfully land on Mars despite being technically a triple-robot: there’s the lander, which will stay where it’s arrived, and the two CubeSats MarCO-A and MarCO-B.
We'll always have #Mars.
After relaying live communications for @NASAInSight as it landed, the tiny #MARCO B cubesat sent back this farewell image of the planet. #MarsLanding pic.twitter.com/EQzrLX8fsv
— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) November 26, 2018
It’s a huge deal because getting stuff to Mars is a hell of a task. Around half of all launches to Mars have ended with very expensive bits of probes scattered on the surface, not least because there’s barely any atmosphere and nothing to help slow things down when they arrive at supersonic speeds. Or, in the case of InSight, 19,795km per hour.
And the science that InSight will carry out is very exciting – it’s all about carrying out geological and seismological studies to discover more about the planet’s composition and history – but let’s be honest; that’s not what we’re hoping.
Aaah…soaking up the Sun with my solar panels. ? After a long flight, and thrilling #MarsLanding, it feels great to get a good stretch and recharge my batteries. (Like, literally.) It’s just what I’ll need to really start getting in tune with #Mars. https://t.co/yse3VEst3G pic.twitter.com/LpsiI0KNNz
— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) November 27, 2018
We realise that InSight’s staying where it has landed, not least because it’ll be drilling a five metre probe into the surface, but we’re still hoping that once it gets its bearings InSight will team up with the still-active Curiosity rover to find their lost buddy Opportunity, the rover who was buried during the dust storms earlier this year and who not been heard from since.
It just needs a catchy title. Married at First InSight? I Am Curiosity (Yellow)? MarCO-B Polo? We’ll think of something.
Honestly, it’s a Pixar film just waiting to happen. Does Wall-E need a sequel yet?