As one Mars mission comes to an end and another sets up its latest instrument, Dr David Brown from the Department of Physics has commented on the valuable contribution that Opportunity made, and InSight will make, to our understanding of the red planet.

He said: “After landing on Mars at the end of November, InSight has been gradually deploying and commissioning its various scientific instruments. With the deployment of the heat probe on Tuesday, InSight is now in a position to investigate the interior of Mars in a way that has never been done on another planet before.

“The official conclusion of the Opportunity mission brings to a close a fantastic chapter in the history of Mars exploration. Operational for nearly 60 times its originally planned mission duration, Opportunity brought us many new insights into the geological and atmospheric conditions on this enigmatic planet.”

14 February 2019

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Peter Thorley

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