The very first image returned by NASAInSight, from Elysium Planitia, post-landing.
Vice President Mike Pence called with his congratulations right away, Bridenstine added.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s InSight spacecraft on Monday touched down safely on Mars, kicking off its two-year mission as the first spacecraft created to explore the deep interior of another world.
The landing data and initial photograph were relayed to Earth from two briefcase-sized satellites that were launched along with InSight and were flying past Mars as it reached its destination.
"In the coming months and years even, history books will be rewritten about the interior of Mars", said JPL's director, Michael Watkins. The picture was speckled with dirt because the dust cover was still on the lander's camera, but the terrain at first glance looked smooth and sandy with just one sizable rock visible - pretty much what scientists had hoped for.
NASA scientists are nervously waiting to see if a spacecraft that spent the past six months travelling nearly 500 million kilometres to Mars will survive its perilous descent and land softly Monday on the Red Planet.
I feel you, #Mars - and soon I'll know your heart.
InSight, a $1 billion worldwide venture, reached the surface after going from 12,300 miles per hour (19,800 kph) to zero in six minutes flat, using a parachute and braking engines. No lander has dug deeper on Mars than several inches, and no seismometer has ever worked on the planet.
The $1 billion worldwide effort calls for the robotic geologist to explore Mars' mysterious interior.
The 800-pound InSight is stationary and will operate from the same spot for the next two years, the duration of a Martian year.
The two satellites not only transmitted the good news in nearly real time, they also sent back InSight's first snapshot of Mars just 4 minutes after landing. But tomorrow begins an exciting new chapter for InSight: "surface operations and the beginning of the instrument deployment phase". Principal investigator Bruce Banerdt said: "The reason why we're digging into Mars is to better understand not just Mars, but the Earth itself". This will allow researchers to obtain more information about how was formed the rocky celestial body in the Solar system.
"[The mission] will tell us the difference between Mars and the Earth, and that's fundamental in terms of understanding what has made the Earth's evolution so specific that it harboured life".
But the United States has pulled off seven successful landings on the planet in the past four decades - with only one failed touchdown. The researchers will run simulations on their model at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory before sending instructions to InSight. The mission follows in the footsteps of the Curiosity rover, which landed there in 2012, but the $1bn joint US-European mission will break new ground - literally and metaphorically.
The criminal complaint indicates Paul Caneiro may have used the seized knife to stab one or more of the other three victims. He was arrested on November 21 for allegedly setting that fire and has been in custody since.
The Game Of Thrones actress, 22, gave a taste of what will she will be wearing for the wedding in a stunning sequined lengha. According to a report in DNA, the couple will host a mehndi and sangeet ceremony on November 29 at the Umaid Bhawan Palace .
The episode risks derailing a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at the G20 in Argentina this week. Putin said at a business conference Wednesday that "it's not us who set the goal to go away from the dollar".
As a result, the state chose to pull all three charges pertaining to the driving license once McGregor put in his plead. After a two year lay off from MMA, McGregor returned in October, losing via a fourth-round submission to Nurmagomedov.
Sports Mole looks at how Arsenal could line up for their Europa League Group E clash with Vorskla Poltava on Thursday afternoon. Smith Rowe, 18, helped a youthful Gunners side secure a 3-0 win in Kiev and top their Europa League group with a game to spare.
Unlike Google , which has recently ended contracts with the US government over after employee objections, Microsoft is taking a. HoloLens is an augmented reality headset that overlays virtual objects and information over the real world.
A lengthy F.A.Q. has more comprehensive answers about the Nintendo Creators Program ending and the new rules that will replace it. Previously, Nintendo wouldn't really allow people to monetize videos on YouTube featuring any of their games.
He was extradited and according to the district attorney there he has confessed to more than 90 murders across the country. He usually "stunned or knocked out his victims with powerful punches and then strangled them".
Leonard will join National Basketball Association prospect Darius Bazley, who is now working for New Balance as an intern. Leonard turned down an extension with Jordan Brand earlier this year, becoming a sneaker free agent.
Texas Tech fired Mike Leach in 2009 after ten seasons and neither of its next two hires have caught on for the long haul. But the Aggies suffered a slide the following three seasons, combining to go 15-23 from 2015-17 with a 3-9 mark in 2016.
Savour your last moments of Rocky Balboa , because Sylvester Stallone has revealed that Creed II will be his "last rodeo ". Viktor joins a long line of seeming invincible opponents that Rocky and Creed have faced over 40 years and eight movies.
After almost ten years of marriage, Mel filed for divorce from Stephen in 2017, citing "irreconcilable differences". Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , and Instagram .
LeBron James hints that his son will play for Duke
He's done that throughout most of his career - both in Cleveland and with the Heat, at least for part of his time in Miami. Ball appeared to injure his ankle when he was backpedaling and landed on a Nuggets player who was on the floor.
L.A. Auto Show: Honda Passport returns for 2019
With seating for just five passengers, the Passport will be pitched against the Ford Edge and Hyundai Santa Fe in North America. That plenty of capacity for lugging a trailer full of Honda powersports toys, such as the new 2019 Talon side-by-side.
Another year, another decrease in life expectancy in the US
The suicide rate has increased by a third since 1999, according to the CDC stats, to 14 for every 100,000 people a year ago . Now it's trending the other way: It fell in 2015, stayed level in 2016, and declined again past year , the CDC said.