Mars InSight Mission
Skip Navigation
menu

INSIGHT MISSION MORE RESOURCES

Mars Science Laboratory Launch Press Kit

MSL launch press kit

November 01, 2011

Download a PDF of the Mars Science Laboratory Launch Press Kit.

Credit

NASA/JPL-Caltech

ENLARGE

Related

Left and right eyes of the Navigation Camera (Navcam) in NASA's Curiosity Mars rover took the dozens of images combined into this stereo scene of the rover and its surroundings. The component image...
More
Left and right eyes of the Navigation Camera (Navcam) in NASA's Curiosity Mars rover took the dozens of images combined into this stereo scene of the rover and its surroundings.
Mars Stereo View from "John Klein" to Mount Sharp (Raw)
This is an artist concept of the Atlas V541 launch vehicle that will carry NASA's Curiosity rover on its way to Mars.
More
This is an artist concept of the Atlas V541 launch vehicle that will carry NASA's Curiosity rover on its way to Mars.
Curiosity Launch Vehicle, Artist's Concept
This image contributed to an interpretation by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity science team that some of the bright particles on the ground near the rover are native Martian material.
More
This image contributed to an interpretation by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity science team that some of the bright particles on the ground near the rover are native Martian material.
Bright Particle of Martian Origin in Scoop Hole
This image shows the landing site of NASA's Curiosity rover and destinations scientists want to investigate.
More
This image shows the landing site of NASA's Curiosity rover and destinations scientists want to investigate.
Martian Treasure Map
This image combines photographs taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) at three different distances from the first Martian rock that NASA's Curiosity rover touched with its arm.
More
This image combines photographs taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) at three different distances from the first Martian rock that NASA's Curiosity rover touched with its arm.
Mars Hand Lens Imager Nested Close-Ups of Rock 'Jake Matijevic'
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in September 2016 at "Murray Buttes," and the path planned for reachi...
More
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in September 2016 at "Murray Buttes," and the path planned for reaching destinations at "Hematite Unit" and "Clay Unit" on lower Mount Sharp.
Curiosity Destinations for Second Extended Mission
NASA's Curiosity rover and its rocket-powered descent vehicle pose for a portrait at JPL's Spacecraft Assembly Facility.
More
NASA's Curiosity rover and its rocket-powered descent vehicle pose for a portrait at JPL's Spacecraft Assembly Facility.
3D Anaglyph Fish-eye View of NASA's Curiosity Rover and its Rocket-Powered Descent Vehicle
This artist's concept shows how the cruise stage de-spins outside the martian atmosphere, turns to entry position, suffers peak heating just after entry, then peak deceleration, before deploying a ...
More
This artist's concept shows how the cruise stage de-spins outside the martian atmosphere, turns to entry position, suffers peak heating just after entry, then peak deceleration, before deploying a parachute.
Cruise and Entry Parachute Descent
This image shows ChemCam's close-up of the rock named "Rapitan" with the analysis of its elemental composition.
More
This image shows ChemCam's close-up of the rock named "Rapitan" with the analysis of its elemental composition.
Calcium-Rich Veins in Martian Rocks (Rapitan)
This view captures Curiosity's current work area where the rover continues its campaign to study an active sand dune on Mars.
More
This view captures Curiosity's current work area where the rover continues its campaign to study an active sand dune on Mars.
Curiosity's Play Space at a Martian Sand Dune
Radar Testing for Mars Science Labotatory
More
Radar Testing for Mars Science Labotatory
Radar Testing for Mars Science Labotatory
The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity was positioned about 4 inches (10 centimeters) from the surface of the "Point Lake" outcrop when it took this image of a ...
More
The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity was positioned about 4 inches (10 centimeters) from the surface of the "Point Lake" outcrop when it took this image of a portion of the outcrop's steep face.
Close-Up Detail in "Point Lake" Outcrop
This GIF shows clouds drifting over Mount Sharp on Mars, as viewed by NASA’s Curiosity rover on March 19, 2021, the 3,063rd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Each frame of the scene was stitched...
More
This GIF shows clouds drifting over Mount Sharp on Mars, as viewed by NASA’s Curiosity rover on March 19, 2021, the 3,063rd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Each frame of the scene was stitched together from six individual images.
Curiosity GIF Shows Drifting Clouds Over Mars' Mount Sharp
The robotic arm on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity delivered a sample of Martian soil to the rover's observation tray for the first time during the mission's 70th Martian day, or sol (Oct. 16, 2012)
More
The robotic arm on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity delivered a sample of Martian soil to the rover's observation tray for the first time during the mission's 70th Martian day, or sol (Oct. 16, 2012)
First Sample Placed on Curiosity's Observation Tray
Members of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission team photographed themselves on March 20, 2020, the first day the entire mission team worked remotely from home. 
More
MSL team members working remotely
Curiosity's Team Teleworks
This view of the twilight sky and Martian horizon taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover includes Earth as the brightest point of light in the night sky
More
This view of the twilight sky and Martian horizon taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover includes Earth as the brightest point of light in the night sky
Bright 'Evening Star' Seen from Mars is Earth (Annotated)
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover took this selfie on May 12, 2019 (the 2,405th Martian day, or sol, of the mission). To the lower-left of the rover are its two recent drill holes, at targets called "Abe...
More
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover took this selfie on May 12, 2019
Curiosity's Selfie at 'Aberlady' and 'Kilmarie'
This artists concept of MSL is a still from the MSL Mission Overview video. It shows MSL on the surface of Mars.
More
This artists concept of MSL is a still from the MSL Mission Overview video. It shows MSL on the surface of Mars.
MSL Still from Overview video
Graphic illustrating the MAVEN spacecraft encountering plasma layers at Mars.
More
Graphic illustrating the MAVEN spacecraft encountering plasma layers at Mars.
Artist's Concept of MAVEN Encountering Plasma Layers at Mars
This photograph of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, was taken during mobility testing on June 3, 2011. The location is inside the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propul...
More
This photograph of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, was taken during mobility testing on June 3, 2011. The location is inside the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Mars Rover Curiosity, Front View
This image shows an example of a thin-laminated, evenly stratified rock type that occurs in the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars. The Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rove...
More
This image shows an example of a thin-laminated, evenly stratified rock type that occurs in the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars. The Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover acquired this view on Oct. 28, 2014. This type of rock can form under a lake.
Thin-Laminated Rock in 'Pahrump Hills' Outcrop
This graphic shows the pattern of winds predicted to be swirling around and inside Gale Crater, which is where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars.
More
This graphic shows the pattern of winds predicted to be swirling around and inside Gale Crater, which is where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars.
Mountain Winds at Gale Crater
This map of Mars shows 4 possible landing sites for the Mars Science Laboratory. Aslo shown are the landing sites for past missions; Phoenix, Viking 1, Viking 2 Pathfinder, Opportunity and Spirit.
More
This map of Mars shows 4 possible landing sites for the Mars Science Laboratory. Aslo shown are the landing sites for past missions; Phoenix, Viking 1, Viking 2 Pathfinder, Opportunity and Spirit.
The Politics of Landing
This color image from NASA's Curiosity rover looks south of the rover's landing site on Mars towards Mount Sharp. This is part of a larger, high-resolution color mosaic made from images obtained by...
More
Destination Mount Sharp
Destination Mount Sharp
This view from the Curiosity Mars rover's Mastcam shows a dark mound, called "Ireson Hill," which rises about 16 feet above redder layered outcrop material on lower Mount Sharp, Mars, near a locati...
More
This view from the Curiosity Mars rover's Mastcam shows a dark mound, called "Ireson Hill," which rises about 16 feet above redder layered outcrop material on lower Mount Sharp, Mars, near a location where Curiosity examined a linear sand dune in February 2017.
'Ireson Hill' on Mount Sharp, Mars

You Might Also Like

Ten sample tubes, capturing an amazing variety of Martian geology, have been deposited on Mars’ surface so they could be studied on Earth in the future.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
Filled with rock, the sample tube will be one of 10 forming a depot of tubes that could be considered for a journey to Earth by the Mars Sample Return campaign.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface
The mission has concluded that the solar-powered lander has run out of energy after more than four years on the Red Planet.
More
NASA Retires InSight Mars Lander Mission After Years of Science
NASA Retires InSight Mars Lander Mission After Years of Science
The 10 sample tubes being dropped on Mars’ surface so they can be studied on Earth in the future carry an amazing diversity of Red Planet geology.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover to Begin Building Martian Sample Depot
NASA's Perseverance Rover to Begin Building Martian Sample Depot
The agency’s Perseverance rover will establish the first sample depot on Mars.
More
NASA and ESA Agree on Next Steps to Return Mars Samples to Earth
NASA and ESA Agree on Next Steps to Return Mars Samples to Earth
The Mars lander’s seismometer has picked up vibrations from four separate impacts in the past two years.
More
NASA's InSight 'Hears' Its First Meteoroid Impacts on Mars
NASA's InSight 'Hears' Its First Meteoroid Impacts on Mars