The finished heat shield for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory is the largest ever built for descending through the atmosphere of any planet.
Latest News
Heat Shield Readied for Next Mars Rover
07.10.09 --Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, has finished building and testing the heat shield for protecting the Curiosity rover of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project.
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Mission Images
Large Heat Shield for Mars Science Laboratory
Clara Ma Tours JPL
Pictured here is Clara Ma (in front row on the right) and her sister Remmy Ma with engineers Suparna Mukherjee, Jaime Waydo and then Julie Townsend (back row).
Clara Ma Visits with JPL Engineers
Clara Ma (in front) with Suparna Mukherjee, Julie Townsend, Jaime Waydo (in back row) are featured here in the laboratory where an engineering model of the next Mars rover, Curiosity, is being tested.
News and Features
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Heat Shield Readied for Next Mars Rover
Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, has finished building and testing the heat shield for protecting the Curiosity rover of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project.
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'Curiosity,' Meet Clara
Twelve-year-old Clara Ma flew from Kansas to JPL to meet and sign the next rover that will zoom millions of miles to Mars.
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NASA Selects Student's Entry as New Mars Rover Name
NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for launch in 2011, has a new name thanks to a sixth-grade student from Kansas.
Audio Features
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Audio Clips - Mars Science Laboratory Naming Contest
The following are selected audio clips from the student who won the Mars Science Laboratory naming contest.
Videos
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Mars Landing for MSL
The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment in orbit around Mars has examined many possible landing sites for the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory rover, including the Nili Fossae area seen here.
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Building a Clean Dream Machine for Space
Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Clean Room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and see the construction of NASA's next mission to Mars.
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Name That Rover
NASA wants your help to name its next rover to Mars.
› View This Video
 "Mawrth Vallis")
 "Building a Clean Dream Machine for Space")
 "cartoon image of the Mars Science Laboratory rover")