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ByMikeSchneider TheAssociatedPress ORLANDO, FLA. NASA is calling off its next mission to Mars because there isn't enough time to fix a leaky seal on a key science instru- ment. The InSight space- craft was set for launch in March. The problem is in a seal around the lander's seismometer, which was de- signed to measure ground movement on the red planet. NASA managers and French designers of the in- strument said Tuesday they must now decide whether the leak in the vacuum- sealed connector needs to be repaired, redesigned or the mission scrapped. The next opportunity to launch the InSight lander is in May 2018 since the best chances of launching mis- sions between Earth and Mars occur for just a few weeks every 26 months. "We're close enough to launch but unfortunately we don'thaveenoughtimetotry to identify the leak, fix it and recover and still make it to the launch pad in March," said John Grunsfeld, associ- ateadministratorforNASA's Science Mission Directorate. The goal of the mission was to explore the interior core, mantle and crust of Mars in a way that no other planet has been studied out- side of Earth. So far, $525 million has spent on the $675 million mission. "We know the interior of Earth and its structure very well, but of the other plan- ets, Mars is our only hope to make those kinds of mea- surements," said Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division. NASA managers said it could take several months of analysis and discussion be- fore they decide how to pro- ceed. A redesign of the part could make the 2018 oppor- tunity unlikely since it could take up to five years. NASA officials said the delay of the InSight mission wouldn't affect the sched- ule of any other missions to Mars. The three sensors on the seismometer need a vacuum seal around them to with- stand the harsh, frigid Mar- tian environment. Leaks hadshowedupduringprevi- ous tests and mission team members thought the prob- lem had been fixed. But the latestteststhisweekshowed another leak of unknown or- igin. The spacecraft was de- livered to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California last week in anticipation of a launch. It will be sent back to Lockheed Martin's plant in Denver. It would have landed on Mars six months after launch. INSIGHT NASAcallsoffMarsmission;notenoughtimetofixleak NASA—JPL-CALTECH This artist's rendering depicts the InSight Mars lander studying the interior of Mars. The spacecra was scheduled to launch for Mars in March 2016but NASA said Tuesday, Dec. 22, that managers have suspended the launch because of an air leak in one of two prime science instruments, a seismometer which belongs to the French Space Agency. Call 877-4DAD411 or visit www.fatherhood.gov be a dad today. 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