Idaho Skies Transcript for November 26th and 27th

RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for November 26th and 27th. We’re your hosts, Rachel…

PAUL
…and Paul.

RACHEL
The next mission to Mars is scheduled to arrive on the 26th.

PAUL
The uncrewed Mars InSight lander is designed to study the subsurface of Mars. It was launch last May and has spent the last six months traveling the distance to Mars. When it gets there, it will spend several minutes using the atmosphere to slow down. After dropping its heat shield, the lander will deploy a parachute to slow down even further. But unlike the Mars rovers, InSight will land using rocket motors rather than a big inflatable bag. So no bouncing across the Martian surface during this landing.

RACHEL
InSight will deploy its seismograph after landing and measure the strength and frequency of Martian quakes. Mars quakes will tell geologists about the internal structure of the planet. So we could learn about the thickness of the Martian crust, mantle, and its iron core. To prevent the wind and the mechanical motions inside the InSight lander from reducing the quality of the seismology data, the lander’s robotic arm will deploy the seismograph directly to the Martian surface.   

PAUL
A second experiment will drive a heat flow probe as deep as 16 feet below the surface. The heat flow probe is like a self-driving nail connected to the lander through a long cable. The cable carries a series of temperature sensors that will generate a temperature profile of the Martian subsurface. How the temperature changes with depth will indicate how much heat the core of Mars is still producing.

RACHEL
The third experiment is a retro-reflector. Retro-reflectors are special prisms that reflect light, or laser light in this case, back to their source. Orbiting spacecraft use the time between sending a laser pulse and its return as way to determine the exact distance between the satellite and the lander. Changes in the distance will give scientists an indication of how much the planet wobbles on its axis.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 26th and 27th of November.

RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com

For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…

PAUL
…and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.