Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory presents "On a Mission," a new podcast that explores a single mission to outer space. Season 1 is all about the InSight mission to Mars.

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 1: Getting to Mars is Hard

The InSight mission is heading to Mars, but many spacecraft have died trying to get there. The current record for Mars missions is 18 successes, and 25 failures. InSight hopes to improve the odds. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 2: Music of the Spheres

The Earth "rings" whenever earthquakes strike, just as vibrations moving through a bell creates a ringing sound. The InSight mission will see if tremors cause Mars to chime in with its own planetary song. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 4: A Matter of Life and Death

Earth is a living, dynamic world thanks to volcanoes and the planetary heat that fuels them. The InSight mission wants to see if Mars also has a heartbeat deep inside its cold exterior. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 3: True Grit on the Road to Mars

Space missions often defy the odds, overcoming all obstacles. The people who work on these missions also face challenges to get where they are today. Marleen Martinez Sundgaard, the testbed lead for InSight, personifies this tenacious spirit. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 5: Robots Lend a Hand

Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu is in charge of the InSight mission’s robotic arm and hand. His work on space robots has led him to give a helping hand back home. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 6: Worlds of Wonder

Technology can take you to unexpected places. The MarCO cubesats, flying towards Mars with InSight, are breaking new ground on how far these small satellites can go. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 7: We are the World

Missions to outer space have come a long way since the days of Cold War competition. Farah Alibay finds that building relationships is a big part of building spacecraft. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 8: Arrival

InSight is lining up to land on Mars. The trip from the top of the atmosphere to the surface of Mars is 6-and-a-half minutes of sheer terror. .

On a Mission |Season 1: The InSight Mission to Mars

Season 1, Episode 9: InSight's Insights

What's happened with InSight since it landed on Mars? .