By Edith Finck and Joshua Muller

Mars has held attention from scientists for a number of years. Scientists believe the barren planet may have sustained life at one point and this makes them wonder if Earth will suffer the same fate. To determine the truth of this thought, they must first understand what took place on the red planet. NASA sent two robotic rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, in 2003 to explore and study the planet’s geology. The successful mission provided evidence of past water presence and as a result the rover’s mission was extended in 2014 to search the planet for ancient life.  

The space program has recently scheduled a launch to send another rover, InSight, to tread across the Martian planet. The launch is set to take place in May 5, 2018 and the rover is expected to arrive in the same year on November 26. If all goes well, InSight will carry out its mission to study the planet’s interior.

NASA officials have stated that once InSight arrives, it will use two main science instruments to study the red planet. It will gather information that will study its earth-like formation and structure. This will give scientists a better understanding of the evolutionary process that shapes planets. By studying and understanding what caused Mars drastic change scientists may determine what to expect for the future of Earth.