NASA launched its InSight spacecraft bound for Mars on Saturday morning from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, marking the first interplanetary mission ever to depart from the West Coast. According to NASA, it is "the first mission dedicated to understanding the internal structure of Mars." After its arrival to Mars, the lander will begin a two-year experiment designed to enhance scientists’ understanding of Mars’ deeper interior. Also aboard the Atlas V rocket: a pair of mini satellites, or CubeSats, meant to trail InSight all the way to Mars in a first-of-its-kind technology demonstration. NASA normally launches from Cape Canaveral but decided to switch to California for InSight to take advantage of a shorter flight backlog.

Source: Fox News May 05, 2018 11:15 UTC