Mars Rover Moved To Launch Complex 41

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover was moved from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station early this morning.

It arrived at the launch complex at about 4:35 a.m. EDT. Teams then hoisted MSL on top of the Atlas V rocket.

MSL was placed on the payload transporter on Nov. 2 in the PHSF after being integrated into the Atlas V payload fairing.

Curiosity has 10 science instruments to search for evidence about whether Mars has had environments favorable for microbial life, including chemical ingredients for life. The unique rover will use a laser to look inside rocks and release the gasses so that its spectrometer can analyze and send the data back to Earth.

MSL is targeted to launch on Nov. 25.

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