US "Insight" probe prepares for dangerous landing on Mars

After seven years of preparation and seven months of space travel, scientists are preparing for seven minutes of worry about the entry of the US probe "Insight" that will cover the envelope Martian and will land on its surface, a dangerous process.

When the probe enters the atmosphere of the red planet, scientists become unable to interfere, but they personalize their eyes on the screens until the end of this programmed process.

Once the probe is stabilized, it will send signals back to Earth, but it will take 8 minutes to reach these signals, a worrying additional period that will dominate California's ground control center.

"Nothing can be guaranteed on Mars, it's a tough planet," said Thomas Zorbuchen, chief scientist of the US Space Agency.

The probe will enter the atmosphere at 19:47 GMT, then fall to the surface. The friction with the atmosphere will raise the temperature to 1500 degrees, but the heat shield will maintain it.

Upon entering the atmosphere, it will reach a speed of 20,000 km / h, four times more than the absolute speed of a firearm.

But the umbrellas will make sure to reverse the speed, then the reverse-propulsion transmissions will reach a speed of 8 km / h.

The probe carries a French-made instrument to listen to what is happening inside the planet from vibrations in order to deepen the understanding of its composition.