In March 2017, scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced that the landing site had been selected. Landing Site Constraints • Latitude: 15 S to 5 N: Sufficient Solar Power Margins –5°N to 2°S Elysium Planitia; Later 3°N-5°N • Elevation: <−2.5 km MOLA: Sufficient Atmosphere for EDL • Ellipse Size: 139 km 27 km [99.5% ellipse]; 130 x 27 km Reference Ellipse • Thermal Inertia: >100−140 J m-2 K-1 s-1/2 –Avoid surfaces with thick dust that is not loading bearing Main articles: Classical albedo features on Mars and Planetary nomenclature § Mars The Elysium quadrangle … The site's elevation must be low enough to have sufficient atmosphere above the site for a safe landing, because the spacecraft relies on the atmosphere for deceleration during descent. [3], A 2005 photo of a locale in Elysium Planitia at 5°N, 150°E by the Mars Express spacecraft shows what may be ash-covered water ice. A sufficiently steep slope in the wrong direction could jeopardize how much power the solar arrays can produce. This has limited the suitable landing area for InSight to only western Elysium Planitia [1]. All four semifinalist sites, as well as the rest of the 22 candidate sites studied, are in Elysium Planitia. Scientists expected a flat surface, no hills nearby and few large rocks in view. 48% of all grids have an inclination of 1°, 21% show 2°, and … Image footprints by HiRise on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiterfor studying the planned Insightlanding ellipse. Elysium Catena a Montes Lockyer Eddie Elysium Fossae YSIUM ... Hyblaeus Catena H y b l a e u s F o s s a eossae alles anicus US FOSSAE TARTARUS COLLES Orcus Patera Hibes Montes ELYSIUM PLANITIA Marte Vallis a sa a sa Zunil u s A t h a b a s c a V a l l e s l a G r j o t á ... MOLA Elevation (m) High : 13842 Low : -4948 Yardangs showing layers, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. All 22 of those sites are in Elysium, which is one of only three areas on Mars that meet two of InSight's needs. The relief of Hecates is about 6,000 m and the relief of Albor is only about 4,000 m, because Hecates is on the edge of the rise whereas Albor is on it. [4] The ice is thought to be the remains of water floods from the Cerberus Fossae fissures about 2 to 10 million years ago. *Viking Orbiter Image coverage: Excellent coverage by 15-25 m/pixel images (orbit 725). Elysium Planitia and Phlegra Montes. 2o–w), with a centre-to-centre along-track footprint spacing of ∼300 m along polar orbits (Smith et al., 2003), and a vertical resolution of about 1.5 m, in the relatively smooth area of the Elysium Planitia. The landing site lies in the western portion of Elysium Planitia, centered at about 4.5 degrees north latitude and 135.9 degrees east longitude. Planitia is Latin for a flat surface, geometric plane or flatness or a plain. Image is located in eastern Avernus Colles. Fig. Close, color view of fractured ground, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. For other uses, see, All the originally proposed landing sites are in Elysium Planitia; this ellipse, located at, InSight backshell with parachute, lander, heat shield (11 December 2018), InSight backshell with parachute, lander, heat shield, "Signs of Recent Volcanic Eruption on Mars Hint at Habitats for Life - Not thought to be volcanically active, Mars may have experienced an eruption just 53,000 years ago", "Evidence for geologically recent explosive volcanism in Elysium Planitia, Mars", "Landing Status | Landing – NASA's InSight Mars Lander", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elysium_Planitia&oldid=991674374, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 December 2020, at 07:11. Close view of layered small mesa with dark slope streak, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Box shows the size of a football field. Secondary Landing Site: Southern Elysium Planitia (Proposed by T. J. Parker) Vital Statistics: (1) Latitude, Longitude: 1.5-3.5 S, 195-198 W. (2) Elevation (Viking): -1.0 km. Wide view of layered buttes and small mesas, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Some dark slope streaks are visible. Close view of layers in a mound, from previous image, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program, Close view of layers in a mound, from a previous image, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program, Lava field on Elysium Planitia resembling an elephant, Lava flow and dark slope streaks, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program, This article is about the plain on Mars. InSight Mars lander was able to take color pictures from the surface Elysium Planitia and sent them by radio signal back to Earth. Elysium is from the ancient Greek name for an afterlife paradise, usually referred to in English as the Elysian Fields. This is just 373 miles (600 kilometers) from Curiosity’s landing site, Gale Crater. The NASA Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Project is considering a landing-site ellipse designated EP78B2 in southeastern Utopia Planitia, southwest of Elysium Mons. The probe will study the internal structure of Mars and by so doing improve understanding of the planet's evolution. Location is east of Gale Crater in the Aeolis quadrangle. Layered mesa and mounds with dark slope streaks, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. The spacecraft will use the atmosphere for deceleration during descent. The Elysium quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey Astrogeology Research Program. The landing site lies in the western portion of Elysium Planitia, centered at about 4.5 degrees north latitude and 135.9 degrees east longitude. InSight takes 360-panoramic images in all directions at this landing site. Az Elysium Planitia a Mars bolygó egyik sík területe, ami az Elysium és az Aeolis négyszögekben található. [9] The landing site is about 600 km (370 mi) north from where the Curiosity rover is operating in Gale Crater. Secondary Landing Site: Southern Elysium Planitia (Proposed by T. J. Parker) Vital Statistics: *Latitude, Longitude: 1.5-3.5°S, 195-198°W. Wide view of layered terrain, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Location is northeast of Gale Crater. The Elysium quadrangle is also referred to as MC-15. Another more ancient shield volcano, Apollinaris Mons, is situated just to the south of eastern Elysium Planitia. Secondary Landing Site: Southern Elysium Planitia (Proposed by T. J. Parker) Vital Statistics: (1) Latitude, Longitude: 1.5-3.5 S, 195-198 W. (2) Elevation (Viking): -1.0 km. This ellipse is centered at 11.73N, 123.72E (planetocentric coordinates), is 155 km long and 16 km wide, has its major axis oriented N86W, and covers ~1640 km 2 . Elysium is from the ancient Greek name for an afterlife paradise, usually referred to in English as the Elysian Fields. (B) Perspective view of the southern margin of Utopia Planitia looking west from the flank of Elysium Mons showing topographic terraces parallel to Contact 2; MOLA DEM with Viking Orbiter mosaic superposed and the basin flooded to just below the -4350 contour, the elevation where the Utopia and North Polar basins become interconnected. Wide view of layered terrain, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Note: parts of this image are enlarged in the next three images. Elysium Planitia je planina na povrchu Marsu, která se rozkládá na severní polokouli (kousek od rovníku) okolo Å¡títové sopky Elysium Mons.Podobně jako v případě oblasti Tempe Terra, či Tharsis, tak i v Elysium Planitia se nachází mnoho malých sopek, které tvoří výraznou vulkanickou oblast na Marsu.Jedná se tak o druhou nejvýznamnějÅ¡í sopečnou oblast na povrchu Marsu. A large enough rock at the landing site could block one of the solar arrays from opening. This ensures that the lander's solar array can provide adequate power at all times of the year and the lander can stay warm: between 5 degrees north latitude and 3 degrees north latitude. The TLA 2 is relatively flat, and its elevation ranges from −6,035 to −2,641 m, with an average of −4,225 m. The High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter plays an important role in evaluating candidate landing sites on Mars. The Thermal Imaging System (THEMIS) on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter provided key evidence that the chosen landing site is suitable for burrowing. It is located in western Elysium Planitia at 4°30′N 135°54′E / 4.5°N 135.9°E / 4.5; 135.9 (InSight landing site). Cones, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program These cones probably formed when hot lava flowed over ice-rich ground. The boulders are the size of houses. The altitude difference between the rim and the bottom is over 9,000 m (30,000 ft). Such activity could have provided the environment, in terms of energy and chemicals, needed to support life forms. MOLA Elevation Maps . Very close view of individual blocks breaking off layer in a butte, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Blocks have angular shapes. The landing ellipse was about 81 miles (130 kilometers) long, generally west to east, and about 17 miles (27 kilometers) wide, covering the area within which the spacecraft had about a 99 percent chance of landing when targeted for the center of the ellipse. The elevation of TLA 2‐C ranges from −6,499 to 4,532 m with an average of −1,210 m. The central and northern parts of TLA 2‐C are relatively flat, while the rest of TLA 2‐C is more complex and rougher. ET) on Nov. 26, 2018 near Mars' equator on the western side of a flat, smooth plain called Elysium Planitia. Layered mesas, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Dark slope streaks are also visible. Elysium Mons, whose summit elevation is 16,000 m above the Martian datum, is at the crest of a regional topographic rise that emerges steeply and abruptly from the surrounding plains. Location is east of Gale Crater in the Aeolis quadrangle. controlled by elevation and latitude. Its landing site, Elysium Planitia, was picked from 22 candidates, and is centered at about 4.5 degrees north latitude and 135.9 degrees east longitude; about 373 miles (600 kilometers) from Curiosity’s landing site, Gale Crater. The highest elevation of −12 m is an unnamed peak in the Hellespontus Montes on top of the western rim of Hellas Planitia. Despite the significant absolute relief, slope inclination is relatively low. Mound showing layers at the base, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Középpontja Az Elysium vulkanikus tartományától délre fekszik, ami a bolygó második legnagyobb vulkáni régiója, a Tharsis után. Elysium contains the major volcanoes Elysium Mons, Albor Tholus and Hecates Tholus. Mesas and eroded parts of mesas showing layers and dark slope streaks, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. In the image shown here, Elysium Planitia is located roughly between the dark features at the bottom right (which includes Gale Crater), and the brighter arc-shaped feature above, to the right of the centre of the image, which is the location of volcano Elysium Mons. Close view of mound with layers, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Note: this is an enlargement from a previous image. InSight is a stationary science platform that landed on Mars on Nov. 26, 2018. Planitia is Latin for a flat surface, geometric plane or flatness or a plain. … InSight's scientific success and safe landing depended on landing in a relatively flat area. It is the first mission to study the interior of a planet beyond Earth. ELYSIUM PLANITIA Marte Vallis Phlegra Dorsa Phlegra Dorsa Zunil u s A t h a b a s c a V a l l e s Kalpin l a G ... Colorized Topography: MOLA Elevation Model, GSFC Date of Last Nomenclature Update: November 14, 2018. Layers around streamlined knob, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Colour-Coded Contour Map of Mars. Gale crater, where the Curiosity Mars rover landed in 2012 is in the lower left, and InSight landed north of Gale in 2018. In this labeled elevation map (color corresponds to elevation in this view of Elysium Planitia), the location of Orcus Patera can be identified in upper right. A slope too steep could foil the robotic arm's access to a sufficiently large work area. Layers in old crater rim, in Marte Vallis as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. It is in the Elysium Planitia region of Mars. The probe was designed to burrow into soil (not rock) to a depth 10 to 16 feet (three to five meters). Close view of cap rock breaking up into boulders, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. On the north east side is an elongated depression called Orcus Patera, and this and some of the eastern plains were imaged in the 1965 Mariner 4 flyby. (3) Viking Orbiter Image coverage: Excellent coverage by 15 - 25 m/pixel images (orbit 725). Elysium Planitia, located in the Elysium and Aeolis quadrangles, is a broad plain that straddles the equator of Mars, centered at 3°00′N 154°42′E / 3.0°N 154.7°E / 3.0; 154.7. The NASA Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Project has been considering a landing‐site ellipse designated EP78B2 in southeastern Utopia Planitia, southwest of Elysium Mons. InSight's purpose is to study the interior of Mars, not the surface. The name Elysium refers to a place of reward, according to Homer in the Odyssey. Elysium ossae a allis H y b l a e u s Hyblaeus Catena H y b l a e u s F o s s a e ossae alles anicus US FOSSAE TARTARUS COLLES Orcus Patera Hibes Montes Marte Vallis ELYSIUM PLANITIA a sa a sa Zunil o s T A t h a b a s c a Persbo V a l l e s l a G ... Elevation in meters Elysium… Elysium Planitia was selected not for its surface features, but for safety considerations. Several workshops took place in 2013, 2014 and 2015, to evaluate 22 candidate landing ellipses and then four finalists. That was based on high-resolution images taken from orbit as part of thorough evaluations for selecting the site. Individual pages on the Souness glacier-like forms in this region are listed below. The InSight instrument deck and Elysium Planitia as seen from the spacecraft's robotic-arm mounted camera. InSight landed at 11:52:59 a.m. PT (2:52:59 p.m. Mounds with layers, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. NASA's InSight mission landed in Elysium Planitia on November 26, 2018. Also, the elevation must be low enough to have sufficient atmosphere above the site for a safe landing. Close view of layers from previous image, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Some dark slope streaks are visible. Layered mesas, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Location is east of Gale Crater in the Aeolis quadrangle. MOLA map showing boundaries of Elysium Planitia and other nearby regions. Elysium is from the ancient Greek name for an afterlife paradise, usually referred to in English as the Elysian Fields. One requirement was that the landing site must be close enough to the equator. Mesas, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Top layer, the cap rock is breaking up into boulders. HiRISE took about 150 images of candidate InSight landing sites, covering nearly all of the ground of the final site. Mars Regional Names - ... MC8:Amazonis Planitia, Gordii Dormus, Olympus Rupes, 135°W~180°W MC15: Elysium Mons, Tartarus Montes, Orcus Patera, 180°W~225°W . The volume of ice is estimated to be 800 km (500 mi) by 900 km (560 mi) in size and 45 m (148 ft) deep, similar in size and depth to the North Sea. Close view of cones, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program These cones probably formed when hot lava flowed over ice-rich ground. Thus, in the selection of a landing site, what's on the surface mattered less on this mission than for previous rover missions focused on the geology. [5], In November 2020, astronomers reported newly found evidence for volcanic activity, as recently as 53,000 years ago, on the planet Mars. Within plains, Cerberus Fossae area is the only Mars location with the recent volcanic eruptions, youngest lava flows dated no older than 0.2 million years from present. Sixteen ellipses were initially defined in this region based on THEMIS images that revealed smooth and flat terrains combined with ther-mal differencing rock abundance estimates of <10%. Displaying the histogram of numbers of Souness GLFs as a function of elevation within the Elysium Planitia region. Elysium Planitia je planina na povrchu Marsu, ktorá sa rozkladá na severnej pologuli (kúsok od rovníka) okolo Å¡títovej sopky Elysium Mons.Podobne ako v prípade oblasti Tempe Terra, či Tharsis, aj v Elysium Planitia sa nachádza mnoho malých sopiek, ktoré tvoria výraznú vulkanickú oblasÅ¥ na Marse.Ide tak o druhú najvýznamnejÅ¡iu sopečnú oblasÅ¥ na povrchu Marsu. cated in western Elysium Planitia at ∼4.5°N, ∼135.9°E and meets all the engineering and instrument deploy-ment requirements [1, 2]. Its landing site, Elysium Planitia, was picked from 22 candidates, and is centered at about 4.5 degrees north latitude and 135.9 degrees east longitude; about 373 miles (600 kilometers) from Curiosity's landing site, Gale Crater. Elysium Planitia, a flat-smooth plain just north of the equator makes for the perfect location from which to study the deep Martian interior. The site evaluation also considered the subsurface structure. MOLA uses an IR laser 10 Hz pulse giving a ∼168 m diameter footprint (e.g. Ez egy nagy sima terület, ami nagyjából a Mars egyenlítője környezetében van. The planitia also has river valleys—one of which, Athabasca Valles may be one of the youngest on Mars. Elevation: In January 2016, the project began ex-ploring later launch options. Close view of fractured ground, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Box shows size of football field. *Elevation (Viking): -1.0 km. THEMIS observations can show how quickly the ground cools at night or warms up in sunlight. Figure 4b,c. Elysium Planitia, a flat-smooth plain just north of the equator makes for the perfect location from which to study the deep Martian interior. The locations of other Mars landers and rovers are labeled. [10], Wide view of fractured ground, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program, Close view of fractured ground, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. Hellas Planitia is thought to have been formed during the Late Heavy Bombardment period of the Solar System, approximately 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago, when a protoplanet or large asteroid hit the surface. Close view of mound with layers, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program Note: this is an enlargement from the previous image. Solid rock changes temperature more slowly than softer ground. [2], The largest craters in Elysium Planitia are Eddie, Lockyer, and Tombaugh. [6][7], Elysium quadrangle MOLA map, with Elysium Planitia at bottom, Aeolis quadrangle MOLA map, with Elysium Planitia at top. Impact crater counts show that the plates are up to 1 million years older than the gap material, showing that the area solidified much too slowly for the material to be basaltic lava. That said, Elysium Planitia—the site chosen for the Nov. 26 landing of NASA's InSight mission to Mars—will more than likely never be mentioned with those above because it is, well, plain. The surface of the area is broken into 'plates' like broken ice floating on a lake (see below). [8] It took off from Earth on the 5th May 2018. The Elysium Planitia volcanic region is not in the northern lowlands, its 2 degrees north (so very close to the equator). It also depended on landing in an area where rocks are few in number. Optimal (minimum ener-gy) launch opportunities from Earth to Mars occur every 26 months, just before opposition, when the dis- The landing site lies in the western portion of Elysium Planitia, centered at about 4.5 degrees north latitude and 135.9 degrees east longitude. Box shows size of football field. Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, or InSight, is designed to study the deep interior of Mars. Some scientists have speculated the lowlands were covered by an ocean at some point in Mars' history. Colour-coded elevation, blended with MOC images. The locations of other Mars landers and rovers are labeled. These icy plates moved to the left, and obstacles (crater rims) turned them into piles of pieces. All the originally proposed landing sites are in Elysium Planitia; this ellipse, located at 4°30′N136°00′E / 4.5°N 136°E / 4.5; 136, represents the site finally sel. During the descent sequence two additional items were jettisoned, the backshell with parachute, and heat shield, and they impacted in the vicinity of the lander. [1] It lies to the south of the volcanic province of Elysium, the second largest volcanic region on the planet, after Tharsis. For mission success, InSight’s heat flow probe must be able to penetrate the ground in the lander's workspace.