Skip Navigation
menu

Images

Inspecting Instrument Deployment

Engineer Marleen Sundgaard watches as the robotic arm on a test version of NASA's Mars InSight lander grasps a model of the spacecraft's seismometer. This work was done at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

December 18, 2018

Engineer Marleen Sundgaard watches as the robotic arm on a test version of NASA's Mars InSight lander grasps a model of the spacecraft's seismometer. This work was done at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California,

Credits

NASA/JPL-Caltech/IPGP

ENLARGE

Related

In this photo, NASA's InSight Mars lander is stowed inside the inverted back shell of the spacecraft's protective aeroshell. It was taken on July 13, 2015, in a clean room of spacecraft assembly an...
More
In this photo, NASA's InSight Mars lander is stowed inside the inverted back shell of the spacecraft's protective aeroshell. It was taken on July 13, 2015, in a clean room of spacecraft assembly and test facilities at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, during preparation for vibration testing of the spacecraft.
NASA's InSight Lander in Spacecraft's Back Shell
NASA's InSight lander deployed its Wind and Thermal Shield on Feb. 2 (Sol 66). The shield covers InSight's seismometer, which was set down onto the Martian surface on Dec. 19.
More
NASA's InSight lander deployed its Wind and Thermal Shield on Feb. 2 (Sol 66). The shield covers InSight's seismometer, which was set down onto the Martian surface on Dec. 19.
InSight Deploys Its Wind and Thermal Shield
So, you want to study Mars with a lander or rover - but where exactly do you send it? Learn how scientists and engineers tackle this question in this 60-second video from NASA's Jet Propulsion Labo...
More
So, you want to study Mars with a lander or rover - but where exactly do you send it? Learn how scientists and engineers tackle this question in this 60-second video from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Mars in a Minute: How Do You Choose a Landing Site?
The sound of a meteoroid striking Mars – created from data recorded by NASA’s InSight lander – is like a “bloop” due to a peculiar atmospheric effect. In this audio clip, the sound can be heard thr...
More
In this audio clip, the sound can be heard three times: when the meteoroid enters the Martian atmosphere, explodes into pieces, and impacts the surface.
Listen to a Meteoroid Hitting the Red Planet
A partial view of the deck of NASA's InSight lander, where it stands on the Martian plains Elysium Planitia. The image was received on Dec. 4, 2018 (Sol 8).
More
A partial view of the deck of NASA's InSight lander, where it stands on the Martian plains Elysium Planitia. The image was received on Dec. 4, 2018 (Sol 8).
Partial View of Insight's Robotic Arm and Deck
This view shows the top of the science deck of NASA's InSight Mars lander, with the mission's seismometer instrument, heat probe instrument, robotic arm and other gear installed. The view looks upw...
More
This view shows the top of the science deck of NASA's InSight Mars lander, with the mission's seismometer instrument, heat probe instrument, robotic arm and other gear installed. The view looks upward at the lander suspended upside down in a Lockheed Martin facility in Colorado.
Mars Lander Deck of NASA's InSight Mission
Where should you land a spacecraft? NASA-JPL scientist Ingrid Daubar helped find the best parking spot on Mars for the upcoming NASA InSight lander.
More
Inside InSight: Scientist Helps Choose a Landing Site on Mars
Inside InSight: Scientist Helps Choose a Landing Site on Mars
One of the twin MarCO CubeSats snapped this image of Mars on Oct. 3 – the first image of the Red Planet ever produced by this class of tiny, low-cost spacecraft.
More
One of the twin MarCO CubeSats snapped this image of Mars on Oct. 3 – the first image of the Red Planet ever produced by this class of tiny, low-cost spacecraft.
NASA's First Image of Mars from a CubeSat
This image from InSight's robotic-arm mounted Instrument Deployment Camera shows the instruments on the spacecraft's deck, with the Martian surface of Elysium Planitia in the background. The image ...
More
This image from InSight's robotic-arm mounted Instrument Deployment Camera shows the instruments on the spacecraft's deck, with the Martian surface of Elysium Planitia in the background. The image was received on Dec. 4, 2018 (Sol 8).
Full View of InSight's Deck and Two Science Instruments
On June 28, 2019, NASA's InSight lander used its robotic arm to move the support structure for its digging instrument, informally called the "mole." This view was captured by the fisheye Instrument...
More
On June 28, 2019, NASA's InSight lander used its robotic arm to move the support structure for its digging instrument, informally called the "mole." This view was captured by the fisheye Instrument Context Camera under the lander's deck.
Fisheye Camera: InSight Lifts the Mole's Support Structure
InSight’s solar panels produced roughly 5,000 watt-hours each Martian day, or sol, after the spacecraft touched down in November 2018. But by spring 2022, enough dust had settled on the panels that...
More
InSight’s solar panels produced roughly 5,000 watt-hours each Martian day, or sol, after the spacecraft touched down in November 2018. But by spring 2022, enough dust had settled on the panels that they were only producing about 500 watt-hours each sol.
InSight's Power Generation: After Landing and Spring 2022
French engineers developed and built a quake-detecting device - a seismometer - to send to Mars as part of the NASA InSight mission. The seismometer’s principal investigator, Philippe Lognonné of F...
More
Inside InSight - French Scientist Aims to Detect Quakes on Mars
Inside InSight: French Scientist Aims to Detect Quakes on Mars
The beige clouds seen in this global map of Mars are a continent-size dust storm captured on Sept. 29, 2022, by the Mars Climate Imager camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. NASA’s Pers...
More
The beige clouds seen in this global map of Mars are a continent-size dust storm captured on Sept. 29, 2022, by the Mars Climate Imager camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Mars Dust Storm in Relation to InSight, Curiosity and Perseverance
The 70m antenna at Goldstone, California against the background of the Mojave desert.
More
The 70m antenna at Goldstone, California against the background of the Mojave desert.
Goldstone Antenna
This test image from an engineering model of NASA’s InSight lander shows part of the lander’s robotic arm and the simulated Martian ground at a testbed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasade...
More
This test image from an engineering model of NASA’s InSight lander shows part of the lander’s robotic arm and the simulated Martian ground at a testbed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Test Raw Image of Robotic Arm in InSight Testbed
This map shows the temperature of the Martian atmosphere 16 miles above the surface. The data were taken on Nov. 18, 2018, by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, about one week before NASA's InSigh...
More
This map shows the temperature of the Martian atmosphere 16 miles above the surface. The data were taken on Nov. 18, 2018, by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, about one week before NASA's InSight lander is scheduled to touch down on the Martian surface.
Martian Weather Forecast for InSight Landing
The InSight mission is heading to Mars, but many spacecraft have died trying to get there. The current record for Mars missions is 18 successes, and 25 failures. InSight hopes to improve the odds.
More
The InSight mission is heading to Mars, but many spacecraft have died trying to get there. The current record for Mars missions is 18 successes, and 25 failures. InSight hopes to improve the odds.
Getting to Mars is Hard
This photo shows the upper side of the cruise stage of NASA's InSight spacecraft as specialists at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, attach it to the spacecraft's back shell.
More
This photo shows the upper side of the cruise stage of NASA's InSight spacecraft as specialists at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, attach it to the spacecraft's back shell.
Top View of InSight's Cruise Stage
This is NASA InSight's first selfie on Mars. It displays the lander's solar panels and deck. On top of the deck are its science instruments, weather sensor booms and UHF antenna.
More
This is NASA InSight's first selfie on Mars. It displays the lander's solar panels and deck. On top of the deck are its science instruments, weather sensor booms and UHF antenna.
InSight's First Selfie
JPL Deputy Director Larry D. James, U.S. Rep. Culberson and U.S. Rep. Schiff at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for InSight's Mars landing, on Nov. 26, 2018.
More
JPL Deputy Director Larry D. James, U.S. Rep. Culberson and U.S. Rep. Schiff at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for InSight's Mars landing, on Nov. 26, 2018.
Larry James, U.S. Rep. Culberson, and U.S. Rep. Schiff at JPL
This video and audio illustrate a seismic event detected by NASA's InSight on April 6, 2019, the 128th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Three distinct kinds of sounds can be heard: noise from M...
More
This video and audio illustrate a seismic event detected by NASA's InSight on April 6, 2019, the 128th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Three distinct kinds of sounds can be heard: noise from Martian wind; the event itself; and the spacecraft's robotic arm as it moves to take pictures.
First Likely Marsquake Heard by NASA's InSight
ForeSight, a fully functional, full-size model of NASA's InSight lander, practices deploying a model of the lander's Wind and Thermal Shield while engineers Phil Bailey (left) and Jaime Singer (cen...
More
ForeSight, a fully functional, full-size model of NASA's InSight lander, practices deploying a model of the lander's Wind and Thermal Shield while engineers Phil Bailey (left) and Jaime Singer (center) look on. The Wind and Thermal Shield protects InSight's seismometer. This testing was done at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Setting the Wind and Thermal Shield
InSight project manager Tom Hoffman and principal investigator Bruce Banerdt pose with their "boarding passes" in 2015, showing that they're both sending their names to Mars.
More
InSight project manager Tom Hoffman and principal investigator Bruce Banerdt pose with their "boarding passes" in 2015, showing that they're both sending their names to Mars.
Bunny Suits
In this photo, the back shell of NASA's InSight spacecraft is being lowered onto the mission's lander, which is folded into its stowed configuration.
More
In this photo, the back shell of NASA's InSight spacecraft is being lowered onto the mission's lander, which is folded into its stowed configuration.
Lowering Back Shell onto Stowed InSight Lander
NASA's InSight spacecraft, its heat shield and its parachute were imaged on Dec. 6 and 11 by the HiRISE camera onboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
More
NASA's InSight spacecraft, its head shield and its parachute were imaged on Dec. 6 and 11 by the HiRISE camera onboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
InSight on Mars, as Seen by HiRISE

You Might Also Like

The agency is asking the NASA community to work together to develop a revised plan that leverages innovation and proven technology.
More
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA has proven powered, controlled flight is possible on other worlds, just as the Wright brothers proved it was possible on Earth.
More
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
The agency established the board in May 2023 to evaluate the technical, cost, and schedule plans prior to confirmation of the mission’s design.
More
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
A pair of quakes in 2021 sent seismic waves deep into the Red Planet’s core, giving scientists the best data yet on its size and composition.
More
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
Ten sample tubes, capturing an amazing variety of Martian geology, have been deposited on Mars’ surface so they could be studied on Earth in the future.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
Filled with rock, the sample tube will be one of 10 forming a depot of tubes that could be considered for a journey to Earth by the Mars Sample Return campaign.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface