Science Team Meeting (STM 26) of the InSight mission to Mars

For nearly four (Earth) years on Mars’ Elysium Planitia region, the InSight lander studied a range of topics including seismology, magnetometry, regolith thermal and physical properties, atmospheric science, and images of the surface. From this data, InSight has clarified Mars’ internal structure and constrained its level of tectonic and impact activity, along with making many other ground-breaking insights into the Martian environment. STM 26 was the final meeting of the mission, as the lander retired on December 21st, 2022 after having its solar panels covered in a fatal amount of Martian dust. \

As graduate students, Jack and Dan were accepted into the InSightSeers program, an opportunity affording a select number of participants the prospect to sit in on the week-long science meeting and to get to know the participating scientists. The meeting was held at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Alabama, USA. The two gained invaluable experience in a broad variety of topics, from planetary seismology and thermal sciences to space-mission planning and operations. Thanks to UKspace who sponsored Dan’s attendance.

Cover Image: In-person attendees of the InSight STM 26, after dinner under a Saturn V rocket at the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. Right: The seismometer (SEIS) and functional arm (DAI) of the InSight lander while on the surface of Mars. Bottom left: The ‘Christmas crater’ on Mars, which was detected by the InSight lander. This crater uncovered icy structures on the planet [Posiolova, L.V. et al., Science, 2022]. Bottom middle: An example seismogram detected by the InSight lander.