NASA’s InSight spacecraft finally completed its journey of six months in the deep space to land on Mars.

Ten years in the making, the mission that cost nearly $1 billion launched on May 5th from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base. 

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Although spacecraft have reached Mars before, InSight will be the first mission to peer deep into Mars’ interior. In fact, the purpose of InSight is to conduct geophysical investigation to help scientists answer questions about the formation, evolution, and composition of the red planet. 

For the very same purpose, NASA took extra precautions to ensure that Earthborne microbes do not contaminate the spacecraft and, potentially, Mars. 

According to reports, the entry, descent, and landing of InSight’s was the riskiest sequence in its entire mission. The first images of Mars that were shared reflected a dusty surface. 

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Seconds before the final descent and landing the control room was eerily silent, with every person listening to the final countdown. And the silence transformed into widespread cheer the moment the spacecraft successfully landed. 

People took to social media to express their joy at the success of the mission and congratulate the people who made the mission successful. 

Such missions bring us another step closer towards unraveling the many mysteries of the deep, dark Universe.