Carnival of Space 409

NASA begins testing of InSight Mars lander for launch in 2016 InSight is a robotic exploration mission that will record measurements of the interior of the Red Planet, giving scientists unprecedented detail into the evolution of Mars and other terrestrial planets. The InSight mission will address one of the most fundamental issues of planetary and Solar System science; understanding the processes that shaped the rocky planets of the inner Solar System (including Earth) more than four billion years ago.

Testing of the solar arrays on the InSight lander at Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Lockheed Martin

NASA Instrument on Rosetta Makes Comet Atmosphere Discovery

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Nextbigfuture – Graphene sponge can absorb light and emit energetic electrons for breakthrough solar sail propulsion