# InSight has landed **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125 "2018-11-26T19:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/21 "2018-11-27T02:49:01Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > And how many billion $$ ?? About [0.83](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-approves-2018-launch-of-mars-insight-mission). ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/22 "2018-11-27T02:56:52Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > About [0.83](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-approves-2018-launch-of-mars-insight-mission). $828,000,000 would feed and house a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/23 "2018-11-27T03:11:38Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > $828,000,000 would feed and house a lot of people. But it wouldn’t put valuable scientific instruments on Mars and contribute to priceless scientific knowledge. That money is not being taken from the mouths of orphans and poor people, and implying such is a pointless threadshit. There are far better sources of waste in the federal government than space exploration and research funding. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/24 "2018-11-27T03:13:17Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I’m nervous until the solar panels are confirmed open and active; then the work can start. InSight panels out and [catching](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7294) rays! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/25 "2018-11-27T03:19:57Z")
I watched the live feed from JPL. It was pretty exciting, especially with the detailed telemetry that was available – entering the atmosphere, plasma blackout, drop in speed (I remember 2 km/s being reported, then shortly after, 1 km/s), chute deployment, heat shield ejection, and an actual height-above-surface readout every few seconds as it descended the last few dozen meters. NASA has had some spectacular successes lately with Curiosity, New Horizons, and now Insight! > [@N9IWP](#): > > The Marcos locked on to the signal, which was not a sure thing. For those who may not know, MarCO is one of two [CubeSats](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/marco.php) launched along with Insight, Mars Cube One. > [@jasg](#): > > InSight panels out and [catching](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7294) rays! Thanks, had not heard the latest news!! 🙂 Also, finally a decent picture from Insight, this one from the IDC! ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/26 "2018-11-27T03:20:08Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > $828,000,000 would feed and house a lot of people. It’s about 6% of the [total annual revenue of the National Football League](https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbelzer/2016/02/29/thanks-to-roger-goodell-nfl-revenues-projected-to-surpass-13-billion-in-2016/#1ab4eb701cb7). But the cost of the InSight probe _was_ over twice as much as [the amount of public funding the government of the county I grew up in approved to build a new baseball stadium](https://www.ajc.com/news/cobb-commissioners-approve-braves-stadium-deal/R8wHdIF19OGvj4dYW27sAM/). ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/27 "2018-11-27T03:21:18Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > InSight panels out and [catching](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7294) rays! Excellent news! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/28 "2018-11-27T03:54:59Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > InSight panels out and [catching](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7294) rays! Great news. and the picture is cleaned up even with the dust cover still on. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/29 "2018-11-27T04:10:43Z")
Looking at that latest picture, although the terrain is extremely flat as it was expected to be, there are some significantly large boulders around. There was fear that Insight might land on one, which would make instrument deployment difficult or impossible, and it might even have toppled over. There’s quite a large looking boulder directly in front in that picture, although it’s hard to judge scale. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/30 "2018-11-27T13:48:23Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Looking at that latest picture, although the terrain is extremely flat as it was expected to be, there are some significantly large boulders around. There was fear that Insight might land on one, which would make instrument deployment difficult or impossible, and it might even have toppled over. There’s quite a large looking boulder directly in front in that picture, although it’s hard to judge scale. So many ways a Mars landing can go wrong - it’s not surprising that more attempts have failed than have succeeded. Even for someone like me whose only contribution is some minuscule portion of my tax dollars, it’s a relief to know it landed safely and is operational. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/31 "2018-11-27T15:55:50Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@jaycat](#): > > $828,000,000 would feed and house a lot of people. This is better suited to another thread. Considering how involved the arguments over where the government should be spending its money can get, I would recommend starting a thread in Great Debates if you really want to discuss this. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/32 "2018-11-27T17:23:05Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > For those who may not know, MarCO is one of two [CubeSats](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/marco.php) launched along with Insight, Mars Cube One. We clearly need to crowdfund a PhObos Lander One probe. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/33 "2018-11-27T20:25:38Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > We clearly need to crowdfund a PhObos Lander One probe. But would it get there before Phobos breaks up? That day IS coming… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125/34 "2018-11-27T20:30:47Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > InSight panels out and [catching](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7294) rays! Woot! I caught this news late last night, right before I went to bed. Good job, science nerds! Y’all totally fucking rock! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insight-has-landed/825125.md?page=1)