Mars Pathfinder Landing Site

Sweet Spot for Landing on Mars

Mars Pathfinder Landing Ellipses

Six Landing Sites on Mars

Sundial Lands on Mars

Mars Pathfinder Landing Site and Surroundings

Mars 98 Polar landing site

This annotated image shows landing ellipses for five NASA missions to Mars. A landing ellipse is the region within which a probe is expected to land based on its trajectory as it approaches the planet. A smaller landing ellipse means engineers have created a more precise model of the probe's expected trajectory. The four ellipses shown here are for the Perseverance Mars rover, Curiosity Mars rover, InSight Mars lander, Phoenix lander, and Mars Pathfinder probe. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24377

This image illustrates how spacecraft landings on Mars have become more and more precise over the years. Since NASA first Mars landing of Viking in 1976, the targeted landing regions, or ellipses, have shrunk.

Mars Polar Lander Landing Zone Compared With JPL

Mars Exploration Rover Landing Site at Gusev Crater

Phoenix Landing Area Viewed by Mars Color Imager

Mars Exploration Rover Landing Site at Meridiani Planum

Pathfinder Landing Site Observed by Mars Orbiter Camera

Mars Exploration Rover MER-A Spirit Landing Site

A Closer Hubble Encounter With Mars - Pathfinder Landing Site

Mars Polar Lander Landing Zone Compared With JPL

The green diamond shows approximately where NASA Curiosity rover landed on Mars, a region about 2 kilometers northeast of its target in the center of the estimated landing region blue ellipse.

This image is of Jezero Crater on Mars, the landing site for NASA's Mars 2020 mission. It was taken by instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), which regularly takes images of potential landing sites for future missions. On ancient Mars, water carved channels and transported sediments to form fans and deltas within lake basins. Examination of spectral data acquired from orbit show that some of these sediments have minerals that indicate chemical alteration by water. Here in Jezero Crater delta, sediments contain clays and carbonates. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23239

This NASA Mars Odyssey image of NASA Viking 1 landing site was taken to commemorate the anniversaries of NASA Apollo 11 landing on the Moon and Viking 1 landing on Mars -- July 20, 1969 and July 20, 1976, respectively.

This map of Mars shows the landing site for NASA's Perseverance rover in relation to those of previous successful Mars missions. The newest addition to the group, Perseverance is set to land in Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24320

This map of the Red Planet shows Jezero Crater, where NASA's Mars 2020 rover is scheduled to land in February 2021. Also included are the locations where all of NASA's other successful Mars missions touched down. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23518

Proposed Mars Polar Lander Landing Site Perspective View 2

Proposed Mars Polar Lander Landing Site Perspective View 3

Mars Polar Lander Landing Site Noon-time Temperatures

More Than 60 Sites Considered for Next Mars Rover Landing

Proposed Mars Polar Lander Landing Site Perspective View 1

Proposed Mars Polar Lander Landing Site Global Perspective

Mars Exploration Rover MER-B Opportunity Landing Site

MOC Highest Resolution View of Mars Pathfinder Landing Site

Proposed Mars Polar Lander Landing Site Flat Map

Spectrometer Images of Candidate Landing Sites for Next Mars Rover

Mars Pathfinder First Anniversary Special -- Refined Landing Site Location

Moon/Mars Landing Commemorative Release: Gusev Crater and Maadim Vallis

Before NASA's Mars Perseverance rover landed on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, the entry, descent, and landing team posed at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California with individual bags of traditional "lucky peanuts." Eating peanuts before major mission events is a longstanding tradition at JPL. In the foreground are (left to right) NASA Planetary Science Division Director Lori Glaze and NASA Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Thomas Zurbuchen. A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust). Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis. The Mars 2020 mission is part of a larger program that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23724

Elysium Planitia, a flat-smooth plain just north of the equator makes for the perfect location from which to study the deep Martian interior. Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, or InSight, is designed to study the deep interior of Mars. The mission seeks the fingerprints of the processes that formed the rocky planets of the solar system. Its landing site, Elysium Planitia, was picked from 22 candidates, and is centered at about 4.5 degrees north latitude and 135.9 degrees east longitude; about 373 miles (600 kilometers) from Curiosity's landing site, Gale Crater. The locations of other Mars landers and rovers are labeled. InSight's scientific success and safe landing depends on landing in a relatively flat area, with an elevation low enough to have sufficient atmosphere above the site for a safe landing. It also depends on landing in an area where rocks are few in number. Elysium Planitia has just the right surface for the instruments to be able to probe the deep interior, and its proximity to the equator ensures that the solar-powered lander is exposed to plenty of sunlight. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22232

MarCO-B, one of the experimental Mars Cube One (MarCO) CubeSats, took this image of Mars from about 11,300 miles (18,200 kilometers) away shortly before NASA's InSight spacecraft landed on Mars on Nov. 26, 2018. MarCO-B flew by Mars with its twin, MarCO-A, to serve as communications relays for InSight spacecraft as it touched down around noon PST (3 p.m. EST). This image was taken at 10:35 a.m. PST (1:35 p.m. EST). Mars' north pole is at the top. A lighter-toned circular feature known as Hellas Basin is visible in the southern hemisphere. MarCO-B's antenna reflector can be seen at left. The blue dot on the right is a glint of sunlight off the antenna feed (not visible in the picture). https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22831

A NASA Dryden Flight Research Center F/A-18 852 aircraft performs a roll during June 2011 flight tests of a Mars landing radar. A test model of the landing radar for NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission is inside a pod under the aircraft left wing.

NASA Viking 1 landing site is shown in this commemorative image from NASA Mars Odyssey spacecraft to celebrate the July 20, 1969 and 1976 anniversaries of NASA Apollo 11 and Viking 1 landings on the Moon and Mars, respectively.

The landing target area for Curiosity, the big rover of NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission, has been revised, reducing the area size. It also puts the center of the landing area closer to Mount Sharp.

Oxia Planum is broad clay-bearing surface between Mawrth and Ares Vallis that has been proposed as a future landing site on Mars. This image is from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

This view combines hundreds of images taken during the first several weeks after NASA Phoenix Mars Lander arrived on an arctic plain on Mars. The landing was on May 25, 2008.

This image from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a proposed future Mars landing site in Acidalia Planitia targets densely occurring mounds thought to be mud volcanoes.

On its 256th orbit of Mars, the camera on-board NASA Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft successfully observed the vicinity of the Mars Pathfinder landing site. 3D glasses are necessary to identify surface detail.

This map shows footprints of images taken from Mars orbit by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera as part of advance analysis of the area where NASA's InSight mission will land in 2018. The final planned image of the set is targeted to fill in the yellow-outlined rectangle on March 30, 2017. HiRISE is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which reached Mars in 2006 and surpassed 50,000 orbits on March 27, 2017. The map covers an area about 100 miles (160 kilometers) across. HiRISE has been used since 2006 to inspect dozens of candidate landing sites on Mars, including the sites where the Phoenix and Curiosity missions landed in 2008 and 2012. The site selected for InSight's Nov. 26, 2018, landing is on a flat plain in the Elysium Planitia region of Mars, between 4 and 5 degrees north of the equator. HiRISE images are detailed enough to reveal individual boulders big enough to be a landing hazard. The March 30 observation that completes the planned advance imaging of this landing area brings the number of HiRISE images of the area to 73. Some are pairs covering the same ground. Overlapping observations provide stereoscopic, 3-D information for evaluating characteristics such as slopes. On this map, coverage by stereo pairs is coded in pale blue, compared to the gray-green of single HiRISE image footprints. The ellipses on the map are about 81 miles (130 kilometers) west-to-east by about 17 miles (27 kilometers) north-to-south. InSight has about 99 percent odds of landing within the ellipse for which it is targeted. The three ellipses indicate landing expectations for three of the possible InSight launch dates: white outline for launch at the start of the launch period, on May 5, 2018; blue for launch on May 26, 2018; orange for launch on June 8, 2018. InSight -- an acronym for "Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport" -- will study the deep interior of Mars to improve understanding about how rocky planets like Earth formed and evolved. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21489

The Dark Room is seen as the Mars InSight and Mars Cube One (MarCO) teams prepare for a landing on Mars, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Mission Support Area (MSA) is seen in advance of the Mars InSight and Mars Cube One (MarCO) teams arriving to support a landing on Mars, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

A NASA Dryden Flight Research Center F/A-18 852 aircraft makes a 40-degree dive during June 2011 flight tests of a Mars landing radar. A test model of the landing radar for NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission is inside a pod under the left wing.

This map shows the route driven by NASA Curiosity Mars rover from the Bradbury Landing location where it landed in August 2012 the start of the line in upper right to a major waypoint called the Kimberley.

This map shows the route driven by NASA Curiosity Mars rover from the Bradbury Landing location where it landed in August 2012 to the Pahrump Hills outcrop where it drilled into the lowest part of Mount Sharp.

The bright landing platform left behind by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in 2004 is visible inside Eagle Crater, at upper right in this April 8, 2017, observation by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrived at Mars in March 2006, more than two years after Opportunity's landing on Jan. 25, 2004, Universal Time (Jan. 24, PDT). This is the first image of Eagle Crater from the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera, which has optics that include the most powerful telescope ever sent to Mars. Eagle Crater is about 72 feet (22 meters) in diameter, at 1.95 degrees south latitude, 354.47 degrees east longitude, in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. The airbag-cushioned lander, with Opportunity folded-up inside, first hit Martian ground near the crater, then bounced and rolled right into the crater. The lander structure was four triangles, folded into a tetrahedron until after the airbags deflated. The triangular petals then opened, exposing the rover. A week later, the rover drove off (see PIA05214), and the landing platform's job was done. The spacecraft's backshell and parachute, jettisoned during final descent, are visible near the lower left corner of this scene. The blue tint of the backshell is an effect of exaggerated color, because HiRISE combines color information from red, blue-green and infrared portions of the spectrum, rather than three different visible-light colors, so its color images are not true color. Opportunity examined Eagle Crater for more than half of the rover's originally planned three-month mission, before driving east and south to larger craters. At Eagle, it found headline-making evidence that water once flowed over the surface and soaked the subsurface of the area. By the time this orbital image of the landing site was taken, about 13 years after the rover departed Eagle, Opportunity had driven more than 27 miles (44 kilometers) and was actively exploring the rim of Endeavour Crater, which is about 1,000 times as wide as Eagle. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21494

This June 27, 2014, image from the HiRISE camera on NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows NASA Curiosity Mars rover on the rover landing-ellipse boundary, which is superimposed on the image.

Out of more than 30 sites considered as possible landing targets for NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission, by November 2008 four of the most intriguing places on Mars rose to the final round of the site-selection process.

Monitors show the status of NASA's Deep Space Network ahead of the Mars InSight landing, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

This map shows the single area under continuing evaluation as the InSight mission's Mars landing site, as of a year before the mission's May 2016 launch. The finalist ellipse marked within the northern portion of flat-lying Elysium Planitia is centered at about 4.5 degrees north latitude and 136 degrees east longitude. InSight -- an acronym for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport -- will study the interior of Mars to improve understanding of the processes that formed and shaped rocky planets, including Earth. The mission's launch period begins March 4, 2016, and lasts until late March. Whichever day during that period the launch occurs, landing is scheduled for Sept. 28, 2016. The landing ellipse on this map covers an area within which the spacecraft has about 99 percent chance of landing when targeted for the center of the ellipse. It is about 81 miles (130 kilometers) long, generally west to east, and about 17 miles (27 kilometers) wide. This ellipse covers the case of a launch at the start of the launch period. If the launch occurs later in the period, orientation of the landing ellipse would shift slightly clockwise. Four semifinalist sites in Elysium Planitia were evaluated as safe for InSight landing. This one was selected as having the largest proportion of its area classified as smooth terrain. If continuing analysis identifies unexpected problems with this site, another of the semifinalists could be reconsidered before final selection later this year. The InSight lander will deploy two instruments directly onto the ground using a robotic arm. One is a seismometer contributed by France's space agency (CNES) with components from Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The seismometer will measure microscopic ground motions, providing detailed information about the interior structure of Mars. The other instrument to be deployed by the arm is a heat-flow probe contributed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), designed to hammer itself three to five meters (about 10 to 16 feet) deep. It will monitor heat coming from the planet's interior. The mission will also track the lander's radio to measure wobbles in the planet's rotation that relate to the size of its core. A suite of environmental sensors will monitor the weather and variations in the magnetic field. The base map is a mosaic of daytime thermal images from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. THEMIS was developed and is operated by Arizona State University, Tempe. Note: After thorough examination, NASA managers have decided to suspend the planned March 2016 launch of the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission. The decision follows unsuccessful attempts to repair a leak in a section of the prime instrument in the science payload. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19143

This image, taken April 9, 2010, shows a helicopter carrying an engineering test model of the landing radar for NASA Mars Science Laboratory over a patch of desert with abundant California poppies.

The engineering test model for the radar system that will be used during the next landing on Mars is shown here mounted onto a helicopter nose gimbal during a May 12, 2010, test at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.

Julie Wertz-Chen, Entry, Descent and Landing systems engineer, NASA JPL, left, Aline Zimmer, Systems Engineer, NASA JPL, center, and Christine Szalai, Technical Group Supervisor, Mission Commentator, NASA JPL, all react after receiving confirmation that the Mars InSight lander successfully touched down on the surface of Mars, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 inside the Mission Support Area at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

A jar of nuts with the Mars Cube One (MarCO) logo is seen inside the Mission Control Area (MSA) where teams are starting to gather for the Mars InSight landing, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 inside the Mission Support Area at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Good-luck peanuts made their first appearance at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Space Flight Operations Facility in 1964 during the Ranger 7 mission. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Julie Wertz-Chen, Entry, Descent and Landing systems engineer, NASA JPL, left, and Aline Zimmer, Systems Engineer, NASA JPL, right hug their colleagues after receiving confirmation that the Mars InSight lander successfully touched down on the surface of Mars, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 inside the Mission Support Area at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

This map shows the route driven by NASA Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to the Pahrump Hills outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp.

A jar of nuts is seen inside the Mission Control Area (MSA) where teams are starting to gather for the Mars InSight landing, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 inside the Mission Support Area at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Good-luck peanuts made their first appearance at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Space Flight Operations Facility in 1964 during the Ranger 7 mission. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Tom Hoffman, InSight Project Manager, NASA JPL, left, listens as Julie Wertz-Chen, Entry, Descent and Landing systems engineer, NASA JPL, talks about Mars InSight from the Mission Control Area during a pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Tom Hoffman, InSight Project Manager, NASA JPL talks about the Mars InSight landing site during a pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Julie Wertz-Chen, Entry, Descent and Landing systems engineer, NASA JPL, talks about Mars InSight from the Mission Control Area during a pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Perseverance rover mission management and scientist celebrate a successful landing on Mars at the start of a post-landing update, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

An image showing where Perseverance Mars rover landed is shown during a NASA Perseverance rover mission post-landing update, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Perseverance rover mission management and scientist celebrate a successful landing on Mars at the start of a post-landing update, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Mars 2020 Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace, , left, and Perseverance entry, descent, and landing lead, JPL, Allen Chen, give remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

From left to right: Bruce Banerdt, InSight Principal Investigator, NASA JPL; Tom Hoffman, InSight Project Manager, NASA JPL; Brian Clement, Planetary Protection lead for MarCO, NASA JPL; Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters; and Julie Wertz-Chen, Entry, Descent and Landing systems engineer, NASA JPL, talk about Mars InSight and Mars Cube One (MarCO) during a pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

From left to right: Bruce Banerdt, InSight Principal Investigator, NASA JPL; Tom Hoffman, InSight Project Manager, NASA JPL; Brian Clement, Planetary Protection lead for MarCO, NASA JPL; Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters; and Julie Wertz-Chen, Entry, Descent and Landing systems engineer, NASA JPL, talk about Mars InSight and Mars Cube One (MarCO) during a pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

From left to right: Bruce Banerdt, InSight Principal Investigator, NASA JPL; Tom Hoffman, InSight Project Manager, NASA JPL; Brian Clement, Planetary Protection lead for MarCO, NASA JPL; Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters; and Julie Wertz-Chen, Entry, Descent and Landing systems engineer, NASA JPL, talk about Mars InSight and Mars Cube One (MarCO) during a pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Hubble Look at Mars Shows Canyon Dust Storm, Cloudy Conditions for Pathfinder Landing

Full-Circle Color Panorama of Phoenix Landing Site on Northern Mars, Polar Projection

Full-Circle Color Panorama of Phoenix Landing Site on Northern Mars, Vertical Projection

Mars Global Surveyor View of Gusev Crater During Spirit Entry, Descent, and Landing

Veronica McGregor, JPL Media Relations Manager, NASA JPL, moderates a Mars InSight pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Members of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover team are seen reflected in a monitor in mission control as they await the spacecraft’s landing on Mars, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Veronica McGregor, JPL Media Relations Manager, NASA JPL, moderates a Mars InSight pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Brian Clement, Planetary Protection lead for MarCO, NASA JPL, talks about Mars Cube One (MarCO) during an Mars InSight pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Brian Clement, Planetary Protection lead for MarCO, NASA JPL, talks about Mars Cube One (MarCO) during an Mars InSight pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Perseverance entry, descent, and landing lead, JPL, Allen Chen, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Perseverance entry, descent, and landing lead, JPL, Allen Chen, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Perseverance entry, descent, and landing lead, JPL, Allen Chen, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Perseverance entry, descent, and landing lead, JPL, Allen Chen, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The live NASA TV broadcast from inside the Mission Support Area of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is seen on the video board of the Nasdaq MarketSite as NASA's InSight lander begins its descent towards the surface of Mars, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 in Times Square in New York City. The lander sent a signal affirming a completed landing sequence at approximately 3 p.m. EST (noon PST) after touching down on the western side of a flat, smooth expanse of lava called Elysium Planitila. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Spectators in Times Square watch the video board of the Nasdaq MarketSite showing the live NASA TV broadcast as NASA InSight team members celebrate inside the Mission Support Area of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory after receiving confirmation the lander successfully touched down on the surface of Mars, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 in Times Square in New York City. The lander sent a signal affirming a completed landing sequence at approximately 3 p.m. EST (noon PST) after touching down on the western side of a flat, smooth expanse of lava called Elysium Planitila. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

The live NASA TV broadcast from inside the Mission Support Area of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is seen on the video board of the Nasdaq MarketSite as NASA's InSight lander begins its descent towards the surface of Mars, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 in Times Square in New York City. The lander sent a signal affirming a completed landing sequence at approximately 3 p.m. EST (noon PST) after touching down on the western side of a flat, smooth expanse of lava called Elysium Planitila. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

This image shows changes in the target landing area for Curiosity, NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover. The larger ellipse for the target area has been revised to the smaller ellipse centered nearer to the foot of Mount Sharp, inside Gale Crater.

Mars 2020 Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Mars 2020 Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Perseverance Mars rover mission managers and scientist are seen during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Mars 2020 Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Mars 2020 Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace, gives remarks during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

This artist concept depicts Curiosity, the rover to be launched in 2011 by NASA Mars Science Laboratory, as it is being lowered by the mission rocket-powered descent stage during a critical moment of the ky crane landing in 2012.

The full-circle panorama in approximately true color taken by NASA Phoenix Mars Lander shows the polygonal patterning of ground at the landing area, similar to patterns in permafrost areas on Earth.

This test for the radar system to be used during the August 2012 descent and landing of NASA Mars rover Curiosity mounted an engineering test model of the radar system onto the nose of a helicopter.

Deputy chief engineer, Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing Instrumentation 2 (MEDLI2) sensor suite, NASA’s Langley Research Center, Kaitlin Liles, gives remarks via remote during a NASA Perseverance rover mission landing update, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The Perseverance Mars rover is due to land on Mars Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Perseverance mission manager Keith Comeaux is seen in mission control as he and the Perseverance Mars river team monitor the spa crafts approach and landing on Mars, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Bruce Banerdt, InSight Principal Investigator, NASA JPL, talks about Mars InSight during a pre-landing briefing, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to study the "inner space" of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core. InSight is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet at approximately noon PST (3 p.m. EST) on Nov. 26. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)