SEIS was the seismometer carried to Mars by NASA’s InSight lander.
SEIS stands for Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure. The instrument was designed to detect marsquakes and other ground vibrations, allowing scientists to study the planet’s crust, mantle, and core. It was supplied by the French space agency CNES with contributions from several international partners.
InSight landed in Elysium Planitia in November 2018. After deployment on the surface, SEIS recorded seismic signals from marsquakes, meteorite impacts, and atmospheric effects. Researchers used the timing and movement of seismic waves to infer the thickness of Martian layers and estimate the size of the core.
SEIS worked with InSight’s other instruments. HP3 attempted to measure heat flow below the surface, while RISE used radio tracking to study the planet’s rotation and internal structure. InSight’s solar-powered mission ended in December 2022 after dust reduced its available electrical power.