Mars Science Laboratory

This article is about the spaceflight mission to Mars. For the surface rover, see Curiosity (rover). For events and findings on Mars, see Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory.

Mars Science Laboratory
MSL cruise configuration
Mission typeMars rover
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID2011-070A
SATCAT no.37936
Websitescience.nasa.gov
Mission duration
  • Primary: 669 sols (687 days)
  • Time since landing: 4664 sols (13 years, 1 month, 13 days)
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerJPL
Launch mass3,839 kg (8,463 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch dateNovember 26, 2011, 15:02:00.211 (2011-11-26UTC15:02) UTC[2][3][4]
RocketAtlas V 541 (AV-028)
Launch siteCape Canaveral SLC-41[5]
ContractorUnited Launch Alliance
Mars rover
Spacecraft componentCuriosity
Landing dateAugust 6, 2012, 05:17 UTC
(13 years, 1 month and 13 days ago)
Landing siteBradbury Landing, Gale Crater
4°35′22″S 137°26′30″E / 4.5895°S 137.4417°E / -4.5895; 137.4417[6][7]
Distance driven35.5 km (22.1 mi) as of 27 July 2023[8]

MSL (Curiosity) mission patch
Large Strategic Science Missions
Planetary Science Division
Mars Exploration Program

Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is a robotic space probe mission to Mars launched by NASA on November 26, 2011,[2] which successfully landed Curiosity, a Mars rover, in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012.[3][9][10][11] The overall objectives include investigating Mars's habitability, studying its climate and geology, and collecting data for a human mission to Mars.[12] The rover carries a variety of scientific instruments designed by an international team.[13]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mars Science Laboratory Landing Press Kit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference NASA-2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference NASA-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference launch date announcement was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference oig report was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Video from rover looks down on Mars during landing". MSNBC. August 6, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  7. ^ Young, Monica (August 7, 2012). "Watch Curiosity Descend onto Mars". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  8. ^ "Where Is Curiosity?". mars.nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved May 30, 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ^ Wall, Mike (August 6, 2012). "Touchdown! Huge NASA Rover Lands on Mars". Space.com. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  10. ^ "MSL Sol 3 Update". NASA Television. August 8, 2012. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference SF1012012-07-06 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference overview was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference MarsExplorationMMRTG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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