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Atlas V 541 | MSL (Curiosity)
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, featuring the renowned Curiosity rover, was designed to assess the planet's past and present habitability. Equipped with an array of advanced scientific instruments, including a drill and a sample analysis unit, Curiosity explored the Gale Crater, a site believed to contain evidence of ancient Martian environments. It delivered groundbreaking discoveries, including the detection of organic molecules and the confirmation of an ancient, potentially habitable lake bed.
Mission type: Robotic Exploration · Orbit: Mars Orbit
Rocket: Atlas V 541 · Provider: United Launch Alliance
Launch pad
Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA · View on map (opens in new tab)
Related news
Curiosity Blog, Sols 5036-5042: Watching the Clouds Go By (opens in new tab)
Martian Dawn (opens in new tab)