An Amazing Voyage Commences -- Curiosity Heads For Mars

An Amazing Voyage Commences -- Curiosity Heads For Mars: Rover 'Curiosity' To Explore Mars 8 1/2 Months From Now NASA began a historic voyage to Mars with the Nov. 26 launch of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), which carries a car-sized rover named Curiosity. Liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard an Atlas V rocket occurred at 1002 EST. "We are very excited about sending the world's most advanced scientific laboratory to Mars," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "MSL will tell us critical things we need to know about Mars, and while it advances science, we'll be working on the capabilities for a human mission to the Red Planet and to other destinations where we've never been."