NASA Salvages Mars Mission That Should Have Launched by Now

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.— NASA’s next Mars mission is still alive.Instead of scrapping the grounded Mars InSight spacecraft, the space agency announced Wednesday it’s shooting for a 2018 launch. The robotic lander was supposed to lift off this month, but...

FILE - This August 2015 artist's rendering provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech depicts the InSight Mars lander studying the interior of Mars. On Wednesday, March 9, 2016, NASA said it's shooting for a 2018 launch of the InSight spacecraft. The robotic lander was supposed to lift off in March 2016, but was grounded in December by a leak in a French instrument. Project managers said the device should be redesigned in time. NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—NASA’s next Mars mission is still alive.

Instead of scrapping the grounded Mars InSight spacecraft, the space agency announced Wednesday it’s shooting for a 2018 launch. The robotic lander was supposed to lift off this month, but ended up sidelined in December by a leak in a key French instrument. Project managers said the device should be redesigned in time.

Opportunities to launch to Mars arise just every two years, based on the alignment of Earth and its neighbor.