ACADEMIA

When the Mars Science Laboratory enters the atmosphere of the red planet this weekend, engineers at NASA's Langley Research Center will experience the thrill-ride of their lives.

Langley, one of several NASA centers engaged in the mission, is the agency lead for supercomputer modeling and simulation of the spacecraft prior to launch. Millions of simulations were performed leading up to the entry, descent and landing phase - the so-called "Seven Minutes of Terror" that determines success or failure.

Touchdown of the Curiosity rover being carried inside the spacecraft is scheduled for 1:31 a.m. EDT on Aug. 6.

In addition to Langley's role in the Entry, Landing and Descent (EDL) phase, other contributions include:

    --  Development of instruments embedded in the heat shield that will measure
        temperature and pressure during descent
    --  Assistance in design of the parachute that will slow the spacecraft
        during descends
    --  A mini-computer on Curiosity that will command a rock-blasting laser so
        scientists can study their composition.

Curiosity will be looking for signs that Mars once was - or still is - a habitable place for life as we know it.

News media are invited to interview Langley members of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) team. To do so, please contact Michael Finneran at (757) 344-4611 or michael.p.finneran@nasa.gov

In addition, Langley's official visitor center will host two Mars-related events:

    --  Mars Family Day - Aug. 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT. For more
        information go to vasc.org
    --  Mars Midnight Madness - Aug. 5-6, from 11 p.m. through the 1:31 EDT
        landing. For more information go to vasc.org
For more information about the mission, go to:
    --  NASA Langley MSL page:
        http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/exploration/msl.html
    --  NASA MSL page: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html
For more information about Langley go to http://www.nasa.gov/langley

The Mars Science Laboratory mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Curiosity was designed, developed and assembled at JPL.