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| The area where NASA's curiosity rover will land on Aug. 6, 1:31am ETD |
The nuclear powered, one-ton rover, called Curiosity, will hunt for evidence of microbes on Mars and harvest a host of data and images from the planet. But first it has to land safely, completing an eight-month journey.
NASA scientists said the landing of the Curiosity, which is traveling at a speed of 21,240 kilometers per hour, is the most challenging they have ever attempted.
If the landing is successful, Curiosity will begin unlocking clues about possible life on Mars.
The rover is the size of a car, and has 17 cameras, a robotic arm, a laser and a drill.
If Curiosity carried business cards, they might read: "Curiosity, geochemist, U.S. space agency."