French-equipped Mars explorer touches down

The InSight probe successfully landed on the planet Mars late Monday and will begin studying the world's interior. Headed by United States space agency Nasa, the probe's key tool for carrying out its primary task was designed in France.

The confirmation of touchdown at 19:53 GMT led to cheers at Nasa's mission control and among enthusiasts around the world, including at the City of Science and Industry museum in Paris.

A series of signals confirmed that the probel had survived the difficult descent to the Red Planet and not gone the way of previous failed missions.

InSight now sits on a vast plain known as Elysium Planitia, close to the planet's equator.

Chief Nasa administrator James Bridenstine told reporters it was “an amazing day” and said that President Donald Trump has rung to offer his congratulations.

The probe aims to give scientists a deep understanding of Mars's inner workings.

By listening for quakes, meteor landings or volcanic activity, scientists can learn more about what is happening underground, as well as how the planet was formed.

The goal is to map the inside of the Red Planet in three dimensions.

The probe's key tool for sensing earthquakes, the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), was developed in France's National Centre for Space Studies.

Philippe Lognonne, the principal investigator on the SEIS, said he was “relieved and very happy” that the probe had landed intact and online.

Space agencies around Europe, including Germany, Spain, Poland and Switzerland, also contributed technology to the mission.