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Anxiety builds as Mars InSight spacecraft prepares to land on the red planet Monday

Nov. 23: NASA scientists are counting down the days, hours, and minutes before a risky Mars landing that could result in new data about the core of the red planet - or mean a quick and fiery end to a multi-year, billion-dollar project – Nov 23, 2018

With just a day to go, NASA’s InSight spacecraft is aiming for a bull’s-eye touchdown on Mars.

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The journey of six months and 300 million miles (482 million kilometres) comes to a precarious grand finale Monday afternoon.

Coverage of Mars on Globalnews.ca:

The robotic geologist named InSight must go from 12,300 mph (19,800 kilometres) to zero in six minutes flat, as it pierces the Martian atmosphere, pops out a parachute, fires its descent engines and lands on three legs.

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It is NASA’s first attempt to land on Mars in six years, and anxiety is building.

READ MORE: NASA’s Mars Insight lander is set to dig into the red planet and listen for quakes

Earth’s overall success rate at Mars is 40 per cent. But the U.S. has pulled off seven successful Mars landings in the past three decades.

With only one failed touchdown, it’s an enviable record. InSight could hand NASA its eighth win.

LISTEN: Dan Riskin on NASA’s InSight project

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