The photo with which satellites said goodbye to InSight

© Provided by Mediotiempo S.A. of C.V.
The MarCO-B satellite took this image of Mars six thousand kilometers away. (NASA)

The NASA successfully deployed for the first time CubeSats in Martian orbit, opening a new door for a smaller planetary spacecraft.

The landing signal of the mission InSight it was transmitted to Jet propulsion laboratory (JPL) of NASA in Pasadena, California, by one of two small CubeSats MarCO (Mars Cube One), which were launched on the same rocket as InSight and followed March. These are the first CubeSats sent in deep space.

After successfully completing a series of flight communication and navigation experiments, the Marco twins were put in position to receive broadcasts during the entry, descent and landing of InSight, which referred to the control of the mission satisfactorily.

InSight will work on the surface for one Martian year, plus 40 Martian days or suns, until November 24, 2020. The objectives of the mission of the two Marco who transmitted the telemetry of InSight they were completed after their Martian overflight.

Marco B, one of CubeSats, took an image of Mars at about six thousand kilometers during its flight on November 26, 2018.

"This is a big step for our intrepid robotic explorers the size of a briefcase," said Joel Krajewski, project manager for Marco in JPL. "I believe that CubeSats it has a great future beyond the orbit of the Earth, and the MarCO team is happy to lead the way. "

The director of JPLMichael Watkins said the CubeSats MarCO Experimental "has also opened a new door for smaller planetary spacecraft." The success of these two unique missions pays tribute to the hundreds of talented engineers and scientists who have put their genius and their work at the service of the success of this day. "

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Watch the landing of the InSight probe on Mars. Video of El Universal.