NASA catches sun rays on InSight

After the successful launch of NASA's Mars satellite InSight on Monday, the probe sent signals to Earth indicating that its solar panels are open and capture sunlight on the Martian surface.

NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, currently in orbit around the red planet, relayed the signals. He was received on Earth around 17:30. PST (8:30 pm EST), announced the US Space Agency in a statement.

The deployment of solar panels allows the spacecraft to recharge its batteries every day. Odyssey also forwarded a pair of images showing the landing site of InSight.

Aaah … absorbing the sun with my solar panels. After a long flight and thrills #MarsLanding it's great to do a good part of the course and recharge my batteries. (Like, literally.) It's just what I need to really start to be listening to #March . https://t.co/yse3VEst3Gpic.twitter.com/LpsiI0KNNz[19659007hnerNASAInSight(@NASAInSight) Nov 27, 2018

"The InSight team can rest a little bit stronger now that we know that the spacecraft's solar panels are deployed and are recharging the batteries, "said Tom Hoffman, InSight Project Leader at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"It's been a long day for the team, but tomorrow begins an exciting new chapter for InSight: the ground operations and the beginning of the instrument deployment phase," added Hoffman.

Monday, NASA's interior exploration for the help of seismic surveys, Geodesy and heat transport (InSight) have successfully landed on the red planet after a journey of nearly seven months and 458 million kilometers from Earth.

InSight was launched on May 5th from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The lander landed Monday, near the equator of Mars, on the west side of a smooth, smooth lava pond called Elysium Planitia, with a signal saying landing sequence at around 12:00 pm (ETH). ;Is).

The mission of the Space Shuttle over two years will be to study the deep interior of Mars and to understand how all the celestial bodies with rocky surfaces, including the Earth and the Moon, have been formed, announced the NASA.

The two InSight solar panels each measure seven feet (2.2 meters) wide when they are open, the entire lander is about the size of a 1960s big cabriolet. Mars sunlight is weaker than Earth's because it is much farther away from the Sun.

But the undercarriage has little need to work: the panels provide 600 to 700 watts on a clear day, enough to power a household mixer and enough for his instruments to carry out scientific research on the red planet. Even when the dust covers the panels – which is likely to be common on Mars – they should be able to provide at least 200 to 300 watts.

"We are powered by solar energy, with the dies providing the energy we need to start cold science operations, we are well on the way to thoroughly investigate what is inside March for the very first time, "said Hoffman.

those used with Phoenix Mars Lander from NASA, although those of InSight are slightly larger in order to provide more power and increase their structural strength. These changes were necessary to support operations for a whole year (two Earth years) on Mars.

In the coming days, the mission team will detach InSight's robotic arm and use the badociated camera to take pictures of the ground so engineers can decide. where to place the scientific instruments of the spaceship. NASA will take another two to three months before these instruments are fully deployed and return data, NASA said. In the meantime, InSight will use its weather sensors and magnetometer to take readings from its landing site at Elysium Planitia – its new home on Mars.

With the successful launch of InSight on Mars, NASA managed to gently land a vehicle on the red planet eight times, the statement said.

"Today, we have successfully landed on Mars for the eighth time in the history of humanity," said Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator.

"InSight will study the interior of Mars and teach us a valuable science to prepare us for sending astronauts.This success represents the ingenuity of America and America. our international partners and demonstrates the dedication and perseverance of our team.The best of NASA is yet to come and will be soon. "

InSight will begin collecting scientific data in the week following its landing, but the teams will focus mainly on the preparation of the installation of InSight instruments on Martian soil. At least two days after touchdown, the engineering team will begin deploying the robotic arm of InSight (1.8 m long) in order to take pictures of the landscape.

InSight will operate on the surface for one Martian year, plus 40 Martian days, until November 24, 2020. The mission objectives of the two small MarCOs that relayed InSight telemetry were completed after their overflight. from the planet Martian.