Curiosity lands on Mars
collectSPACE.com
NASA’s car-sized Curiosity rover touched down safely on Mars on Monday at 12:14 a.m. CDT (0531 GMT), landing within the 96-mile wide Gale Crater. Outfitted with a robotic arm, a drill, sample scoop, cutting edge instruments and a number of cameras – including a laser-equipped, spectrum-reading camera for detecting the chemical make-up of target rocks, Curiosity is the most advanced unmanned lander to ever be sent to the surface of another planet. Its two year primary mission is to investigate whether its Gale Crater landing area has ever had conditions that are favorable for microbial life.
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2012-08-06 01:18:53
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