Tuesday 16 / April / 2024
Muscat: Life on Mars could be closer than we think, as NASA takes the next step in identifying whether the Earth’s closest neighbour is capable of sustaining life.
For the first time in the history of space exploration, NASA scientists can dig deeper into the surface of the planet, allowing them to look at the composition of the soil. If their hopes are proven to be right, Mars could one day become a thriving human colony.
One of NASA’s most advanced research units, the InSight lander successfully touched down on Mars, where it will collect samples of soil and other environmental sections.
**media[968680]**
The probe’s successful landing is the result of years of hard work from scientists, engineers, physicists and researchers across some of the world’s top universities, with leading experts from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Spain all collaborating for the greater good of humanity.
“Today, we successfully landed on Mars for the eighth time in human history,” said Jim Bridenstine, NASA administrator. “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. This accomplishment represents the ingenuity of America and our international partners and it serves as a testament to the dedication and perseverance of our team. The best of NASA is yet to come, and it is coming soon.”
A Twitter account to document the “feelings” of the probe has also been set up. The latest photos from Mars show the InSight collecting samples from the Martian surface.
“There is a quiet beauty here,” said a tweet on the NASA InSight account. “After a long flight, and a thrilling Mars landing, it feels great to get a good stretch and recharge my batteries (like literally). It is just what I’ll need to really start getting in tune with Mars.”
Scientists had to consider a number of parameters with calculations of the utmost on the nearly 500-kilometre journey to Mars. Getting any one of these wrong would have scuppered the entire mission, and set NASA’s space endeavours back several years.
The journey from Earth took six and a half months, as the probe travelled at an average speed of 10,660 km/hr.
Getting the InSight to Mars was one thing, getting it to work on the Martian surface was another, because of any possible damage that could affect the fragile systems on board due to the friction caused on entry into the Martian atmosphere.
Temperatures in the atmosphere could reach up to a searing 1,500 degrees Celsius – that’s hotter than the temperature of lava – and scientists had to take not just this into consideration, but also ensure that the probe had a flat surface to land on: something as simple as a boulder in the way could knock the expensive contraption out of commission.
The InSight will operate out of the Elysium Planitia on Mars, and is powered by twin solar arrays, that are some seven feet wide. The panels provide 600 to 700 watts on a clear day, enough to power a household blender and plenty to keep its instruments conducting science on the Red Planet. Even when dust covers the panels—what is likely to be a common occurrence on Mars—they should be able to provide at least 200 to 300 watts.
The probe also includes a robotic arm, which measures some five feet, nine inches, complete with a grapple for grasping each piece of hardware the arm will lift. The grapple’s five mechanical fingers can close around a handle that resembles a ball on top of a stem. Each of the three items the arm will lift has one of these handles. The three are the seismic experiment for the interior structure, the heat flow and physical properties probe, and the seismometer’s wind and thermal shield.
Weighing in at 360kg, the probe is six metres long with solar panels deployed, and has a deck height of 33 to 43 inches, and its landing on Mars also prompted congratulations from the International Space Station (ISS).
“What an amazing day for our country,” exclaimed Bridenstine. “People all around the world have seen it. But it’s not just people all around the world that will see it, in fact, people off the world have seen it, and they have some things they’d like to say.”
“The InSight of Mars itself is a really important step on the way there for human exploration, so kudos for pulling that one off and we are looking forward to the data that comes out of this mission,” said Alexander Gerst, the current commander of the ISS, speaking directly from the space station.
