NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is a mobile laboratory known as the rover Curiosity. Curiosity landed at the bottom of the Gale Crater on the planet Mars on August 5th after seven minutes of terror, a series of maneuvers guiding the rover through decent to landing with a parachute, computer controlled propulsion rockets and a sky crane. Its mission is to look for life on the red planet. Alex got to visit NASA JPL's control room and a replica of the rover just weeks before touchdown. Alex is proud to tell everyone, "My dad works for space." With a payload of scientific data rolling in since Curiosity's landing, the people of earth will know just that much more about one of the planets in our little solar system. And, Alex's dad will continue to be the center of Alex's universe.
