Science and Exploration

The Path Toward Humans to Mars

By Marc Boucher
Status Report
November 17, 2013
Filed under , , ,
The Path Toward Humans to Mars
Maven on the launch pad.
NASA

A full moon rises behind the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft onboard at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Nov. 17, 2013.
MAVEN is the second mission under NASA’s Mars Scout Program. It will take critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help scientists understand climate change over the Red Planet’s history. MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere.

MAVEN’s Launch window opens at 1:28 p.m. ET on Monday, November 18, 2013.

Below is the media briefing discussing the mission and future Mars exploration.

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