Summary | Launch Vehicle – NASA's InSight Mars Lander

This also allowed the spacecraft to get to Mars faster than would be possible otherwise. This took about six months for InSight. InSight Launched on an Atlas V- ... AbouttheLander Instruments LaunchVehicle GettingtoMars AbouttheLander Instruments LaunchVehicle GettingtoMars ONTHISPAGE LaunchVehicleFacts Launch: May5,2018 LaunchLocation: VandenbergAirForceBase,California LaunchVehicle: AtlasV-401 HeightwithPayload: 188feet(57.3meters) Mass: Fullyfueled,withspacecraftontop,about730,000pounds(333,000kilograms) WhatisaLaunchVehicle? Alaunchvehicleiswhatmostofusthinkofasa"rocket."ItprovidesthevelocityneededbyaspacecrafttoescapeEarth'sgravityandsetitonitscourseforMars. TheInSightmissionwasdesignedtolaunchatatimewhenEarthandMarswereinpositionsintheirorbitsthatwereadvantageousforspacecrafttravelingtoandlandingonMars.ThisfavorablepositionoftheplanetsmeansthatittooklessenergytoescapeEarth’sorbitandentertheorbitofMars,ascomparedtoothertimeswhenEarthandMarsareindifferentpositionsintheirorbitsaroundtheSun.ThisalsoallowedthespacecrafttogettoMarsfasterthanwouldbepossibleotherwise.ThistookaboutsixmonthsforInSight. InSightLaunchedonanAtlasV-401 InSightlaunchedfromVandenbergAirForceBaseonCalifornia'sPacificcoastaboardatwo-stageAtlasV-401launchvehicle. Thisisoneofthebiggestrocketsavailableforinterplanetaryflight.Therocketstands188feet(57.3meters)tall,oraboutastallasa19-storybuilding.Fullystacked,withthespacecraft,theAtlasV-401weightsabout730,000pounds(333,000kilograms).That'sabout14bigrigs,fullyloadedwithcargo! Thethreenumbersinthe401designationsignify: 4:apayloadfairing--ornosecone--thatisabout13feet(4meters)indiameter 0:solid-rocketboosterssupplementingthemainbooster 1:theupperstage,whichhasoneengine. AnAtlasV-401sentNASA'sMarsReconnaissanceOrbiteronitswaytoMarsonAug.12,2005.AnAtlasV-541launchedNASA'sMarsScienceLaboratoryspacecraft,carryingtheCuriosityrover,onNov.26,2011.AnotherAtlasV-451launchedthePerseverancerovertoMarsonJuly30,2020. TheAtlasV-401rocketwasprovidedbyUnitedLaunchAlliance,CentennialColorado,ajointventureofBoeingCo.andLockheedMartinCorp. Stage1:AtlasRocket Stage1:AtlasRocket more Stage2:Centaur Stage2:Centaur more PayloadFairing PayloadFairing more Stage1:AtlasRocket more Stage2:Centaur more PayloadFairing more