In the weeks since my last update, InSight has methodically worked through most of the long list of activities required to set up its sensitive seismometer experiment, SEIS. Engineers have leveled the seismometer and worked on cable management. Most significantly for the science mission, they have balanced the Very Broad Band sensors -- 3 of SEIS’ 6 seismic sensors -- and confirmed that they are generating good data. This is a huge milestone and a huge relief for the science team, project scientist Bruce Banerdt told me.

(Thanks to Bruce for an informative phone call yesterday, and to the seismometer team for posting this detailed and informative article about recent work on SEIS placement.)

Over the next couple of weeks, they will complete cable management work and place the wind and thermal shield over the instrument. The mission is still on track to be gathering good-quality science data by February. In the meantime, the science team is already writing up results; they are submitting more than 50 abstracts to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, to be held in March. (Most of these will concern environment and weather measurements, but some will be placeholders for future seismometer results.)