‘Curiosity’ Rover Heading for Mars

November 28, 2011 - NASA’S Mars Science Laboratory launched Saturday bound for Mars where it will looks for clues whether life ever existed on the red planet. The science laboratory, tucked inside its Atlas V rocket, launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, beginning the eight-month journey to Mars. It’s scheduled to arrive at Mars in August 2012, and is equipped with “Curiosity,” the most advanced rover ever to land on another planet. NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory and its rocket first coasted in orbit around Earth before it separated from the rocket that boosted it toward Mars. All systems were operating normally. The one-ton Curiosity is nuclear-powered and holds 10 science instruments. "It's an enormous mission. It's equivalent of three missions, frankly, and quite an undertaking," program director Doug McCuistion told The Guardian. "Science fiction is now science fact. We're flying to Mars. We'll get it on the ground and see what we find." The primary goal of the $2.5 billion mission is to see whether cold, dry, barren Mars might have been or is still hospitable for microbial life. No way of detecting life is on board; rather, the instruments will hunt for organic compounds. Curiosity's arm has a jackhammer on the end to drill into the Martian rock and its mast carries high-definition and laser cameras. The rover has a weather station that will provide temperature, wind and humidity readings; a computer app with daily weather updates is planned. Curiosity will spend a minimum of two years and cover at least 12 miles while roaming around Gale Crater, chosen from among more than 50 potential landing sites because it is rich in minerals. Its nuclear generator means it could last for months or years longer than scheduled.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory soars through the sky aboard an Atlas V rocket. It will arrive at Mars on August 6, 2012, Universal Time. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Curiosity should arrive at Mars in August 2012. Image: NAS

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