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Construction on new Mars lander given green light

In this artist's impression, InSight drills through the Martian surface. NASA

TORONTO – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced the construction of the next Mars lander, which is scheduled to launch in 2016.

READ MORE: Ancient life on Earth may lead to finding ancient life on Mars

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The lander, called the Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geoesy and Heat Transport (InSight) will drill beneath the Martian surface.

The goal is to better understand how Earth-like planets formed and developed their layered inner structure, including their core, mantle, and crust.

InSight will launch from California in March 2016 and will be one of the first steps in guiding NASA’s goal of sending a human mission to Mars in the 2030s.

Several countries are also contributing to the mission, including Canada.

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