Mars Science Laboratory arrived at its destination Sunday night at
11:31 p.m. The MSL team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s
control center in Pasadena was ecstatic; the mission control room was
flooded with jubilant pandemonium. According to NASA Administrator
Charlie Bolden, who was there along with Deputy Administrator Lori
Garver and Presidential Science Advisor John Holdren, “Everybody in the
morning should be sticking their chests out saying, ‘That’s MY Curiosity
rover on Mars!'” The rover is checking out in perfect shape so far, and
soon the science will begin.
Progress reports rolled in last night at a rate of about one per
minute. Each time a milestone in the intricate system was transmitted
home, the team clapped and broke out in spontaneous laughter.
Read more at Ars Technica.
