CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Mars has a nasty habit of living up to its mythological name and besting Earth when it comes to accepting visitors.

NASA's InSight is the latest spacecraft to come calling, with every intent of landing and digging deeper into the planet than anything that's come before. The lander arrives at Mars on Monday following a six-month journey.

"We've had a number of successful landings in a row now. But you never know what Mars will throw at you," said Rob Grover, lead engineer for the landing team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Landing on Mars is always risky, Grove...