Here's a Quick Guide to the Mission Section:

STATUS: Status reports will be provided when the mission is in operations

In the meantime, please see:

Informal, weekly mission news from the Principal Investigator at Cornell University

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MISSION TEAM: the people who are making this mission possible.

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This section describes all of the parts that makeup the launch vehicle, the spacecraft, and the rover. For the sequence of events, please see the mission timeline below.

LAUNCH VEHICLE: Learn all about the rocket that will launch the spacecraft

SPACECRAFT: Explore all of the spacecraft parts, including:

• Cruise Configuration: Structure for the journey through space from Earth to Mars
• Entry, Descent, and Landing Configuration: Systems for landing on the surface
  • Aeroshell: Protection for the lander from heat and forces during atmospheric entry
  • Parachute: Gear for slowing the lander's speed prior to impact
  • Airbags: Cushions that soften the landing
  • Lander: A protective shell for the rover
• Surface Operations Configuration: Vehicle for roaming on the surface
  
  • Rover: The various parts of the roving "robot geologist"
  • Rover's Science Instruments: The rover's special tools for analyzing the surface rocks, soil, and dust

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MISSION TIMELINE: Follow along with each step of the mission, including:

• Pre-launch Activities: Preparation for the mission, including landing site selection, assembly and testing, and delivery to Cape Canaveral
• Launch: Lift-off from Earth
• Cruise: Voyage through space
• Approach: Nearing the red planet Mars
• Entry, Descent, and Landing: Journey through the martian atmosphere to the surface
• Rover Egress: Leaving the lander to begin exploration
• Surface Operations: Learning about Mars through the day-to-day activities of the rovers

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COMMUNICATIONS WITH EARTH: Talking with the rovers through the antennas of the Deep Space Network