Are you curious about the difference between InSight and Curiosity? Well, no need to be 'InSightful' or 'Curious' anymore, as we've got you covered! Let's dive in and compare the two NASA rovers.
Overview
InSight and Curiosity are both rovers designed and launched by NASA to explore the surface of Mars. Although they share this common goal, they have different objectives and methods of exploration. InSight, short for 'Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport,' was launched on May 5, 2018, while Curiosity, also known as the Mars Science Laboratory, was launched on November 26, 2011.
Objectives
The primary objective of InSight is to study the interior of Mars, including its crust, mantle, and core, to better understand the planet's evolution. It does this by detecting marsquakes, measuring heat flow, and observing the planet's wobble as it rotates.
On the other hand, Curiosity was designed to investigate Mars' past and current ability to support microbial life. It has been exploring the surface of Mars, taking samples and analyzing them to find evidence of organic molecules and other elements that indicate habitability.
Size and weight
Curiosity is larger and heavier than InSight, weighing 899 kg and standing at 3 meters long, 2.7 meters wide, and 2.2 meters high. In contrast, InSight's weight is only 358 kg, and it stands at a height of 1.1 meters.
Power source
Curiosity is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), which converts the heat generated by the natural decay of plutonium-238 into electricity. The RTG provides a constant and long-lasting supply of power, allowing Curiosity to operate 24/7.
InSight, on the other hand, uses solar panels to generate electricity to power its instruments. As Mars' atmosphere is only 1% as dense as Earth's, the efficiency of solar panels is significantly reduced, so InSight's power output varies.
Instruments
Both InSight and Curiosity carry different instruments specialized in their missions. InSight's instruments include a seismometer, a heat flow probe, a radio science instrument, and a magnetometer. Curiosity's instruments include a camera, a laser spectrometer, an X-ray diffractometer, and a variety of other instruments.
Conclusion
Both InSight and Curiosity have made significant discoveries during their missions, as they continue to explore and analyze the red planet. Even though they have different objectives, they both show the world the importance of space exploration and the possibilities of learning and researching other planets.
We hope this comparison was helpful in understanding the difference between InSight and Curiosity.