What Were InSight's Science Tools?

The InSight Lander’s three primary instruments, SEIS, HP³, and RISE, were designed to take the first-ever in-depth look at the planet's “inner space.” The mission’s goal was to study the fingerprints of the process of planet formation, buried deep in the Martian interior. InSight’s science measurements potentially can shed light on just how warm and geologically active Mars still is, and provide essential clues on the evolution of Mars and of all the terrestrial planets.

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  SEIS - Measuring the Pulse of Mars

  Philippe Lognonné, Principal Investigator
  Institute of Earth Physics of Paris
  (Insitut de Physique du Globe de Paris, or IPGP)

  The seismometer, SEIS, measured the vibrations caused by the internal activity of Mars to illuminate the properties of the crust, mantle, and core.
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  HP³ - Taking Mars' Temperature

  Tilman Spohn, Principal Investigator
  German Aerospace Center
  (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, or DLR), Berlin

  The Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package, HP³, was designed to take Mars' temperature to reveal how much heat is flowing out of the deep interior of the planet.
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  RISE - Testing Mars' Reflexes

  Sebastien Le Maistre
  Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium

  A radio science instrument, RISE, measured the wobble of Mars' north pole as the Sun pushes and pulls it in its orbit, providing clues on the size and composition of Mars' metallic core. Read more ›