Curiosity Is on Her Way!!!!

Hey Space Placers!

Hope our US friends had a great Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

Just minutes ago NASA's next mission to Mars, the Mars Science Laboratory named Curiosity, successfully launched from Cape Kennedy aboard an Atlas V right on time at 10:02 a.m. EST.

MSL launch


The 1-ton, $2.5 billion Curiosity is nuclear powered and packed with 10 science instruments that will help scientists determine if life can, did, or does exist on Mars. The MSL will land in a reselected spot within Gale Crater in 8 1/2 months.

Curiosity just separated from the Centaur upper stage and is flying free. There will be a NASA teleconference coming up at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. 


You can read more about Curiosity at http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.

More to follow as the mission progresses!

Sky Guy at VA

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