NASA: "InSight" probe recorded for the first time on Mars "was shaking"

Poor sound signals on Mars: For the first time, NASA's "InSight" probe was able to capture noises on the planet. Their origin is currently being studied by scientists. The instrument is on Mars since last November.

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NASA's "InSight" probe, installed on Mars since November, has probably picked up the first sounds of an earthquake on the red planet.

Weak signal

The weak audio signal was recorded on April 6, and therefore the 128th day of the robot on the planet, announced Tuesday the US Space Agency (local time). The jolts picked up by the seismic instrument of the probe seem to come from inside Mars rather than wind on its surface, he said. According to NASA, scientists are still searching for the exact cause of the signal.

However, the experts have already mentioned a milestone confirming the seismic activity of Mars. "Until now, we have collected background noise, but this event marks the official start of a new field of research: the science of earthquakes on Mars!" Said Bruce Banerdt, expert InSight. "We have been waiting for a signal of this type for months," said Philippe Lognonne, Earthquake Specialist at the French Institute of Physics of the Globe of Paris (IPGP). "It's so exciting to finally have proof that Mars is still seismically active."

With many scientific instruments, "InSight" will spend at least two years exploring the interior of Mars and learning more about its structure and dynamics beneath its surface. "InSight" is a 360 kg robot that does not roll but stays in the same place. According to NASA, two sensors in the spacecraft picked up winds on the Red Planet in December. The "InSight" mission costs around 650 million euros.
© dpa