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Mars Science Laboratory

Curiosity Rover

The Mars Science Laboratory mission's Curiosity rover landed in Mars' Gale Crater the evening of August 5, 2012, PDT (morning of August 6 EDT), using a series of complicated landing maneuvers never before attempted.

Visit Mission Website
Mars Curiosity Foreground

Mission Statistics

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Launch Date

Nov. 26, 2011

Type

Rover

Target

Mars

Status

Current

About the mission

The Mars Science Laboratory mission's Curiosity rover landed in Mars' Gale Crater the evening of August 5, 2012 PDT (morning of August 6 EDT) using a series of complicated landing maneuvers never before attempted. The specialized landing sequence, which employed a giant parachute, a jet-controlled descent vehicle and a bungee-like apparatus called a "sky crane," was devised because tested landing techniques used during previous rover missions could not safely accommodate the much larger and heavier rover.

Curiosity's mission is to determine whether the Red Planet ever was habitable to microbial life. The rover, which is about the size of a MINI Cooper, is equipped with 17 cameras and a robotic arm containing a suite of specialized laboratory-like tools and instruments.

Instruments

  • Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM)
  • Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam)
  • Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS)
  • Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin)
  • Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN)
  • Mars Descent Imager (MARDI)
  • Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI)
  • Mast Camera (Mastcam)
  • Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD)
  • Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS)

Interactive 3D model of Mars Curiosity Rover. View the full interactive experience at Eyes on the Solar System.

More about Mars

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Daedalia Planum

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Daedalia Planum

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Crater Gullies

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Perseverance's Three Forks Sample Depot Map

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WATSON Documents Final Tube Dropped at Three Forks Sample Depot

News .

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot

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Ius Chasma

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Windstreak

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Sirenum Fossae

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Claritas Fossae

Mission Website
Landing Press Kit (PDF)
Launch Press Kit (PDF)
Fact Sheet (PDF)
NASA Mission Page
Mars Science Laboratory on Facebook
Mars Science Laboratory on Twitter

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MarCO

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