Landing the Curiosity rover on Mars was a big feat for NASA, but we could not have done it without the work of small businesses.

On Wednesday, Sept. 19, I'm joining Administrator Karen Mills of the Small Business Administration for a Google+ Hangout with ATA Engineering, one of the small businesses that made the Mars Science Laboratory mission landing a success.

Google+ members and reporters are welcome to join the discussion from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT Wednesday. Administrator Mills and I will talk with representatives of ATA about their work to design and analyze the design of the entry, descent and landing process – known as "Seven Minutes of Terror" – as well as other systems operating the Curiosity rover.

The Google+ Hangout will go live here: Http://plus.google.com/+NASA

Reporters wishing to join the Hangout should e-mail lauren.b.worley@nasa.gov for more information. You can join in the conversation on Wednesday by submitting your questions during the Google+ Hangout and on Twitter using the hashtag #AskNASA.