Ladies and gentlemen…months after we had liftoff, we now have touchdown as the NASA InSight spacecraft has successfully landed on Mars. And judging by the cheering in the control room…it couldn’t have been a more perfect landing
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory says the Mars mission streaked into the planet's atmosphere at 12-thousand miles per hour, and slowed by retro rockets and a giant parachute helped its 77-mile descent to the ground. The Insight lander will monitor seismic activity drill 16-feet underground, to give scientists a better understanding of how Mars evolved.
"We successfully landed on Mars for the eighth time in human history," says NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. " This accomplishment represents the ingenuity of America and our international partners, and it serves as a testament to the dedication and perseverance of our team. The best of NASA is yet to come, and it is coming soon."