NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 18 November 2011

Spacecraft: Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-541 (AV-028)
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Date: Nov. 25, 2011
Launch Time: 10:25 a.m. EST

The Flight Readiness Review for the Mars Science Laboratory was conducted Friday in the mission briefing room at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. At its conclusion, there were no issues that would preclude a rollout to the launch pad of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Nov. 23. First motion from the Vertical Integration Facility is planned for 10 a.m.

At Space Launch Complex 41, the multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) was installed on the Curiosity rover within the Atlas fairing on Nov. 17.

On launch day, Nov. 25, the countdown will begin at 3:25 a.m. The process for cryogenic fueling, the loading of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aboard the Atlas V, will begin at 8:15 a.m. (T-2 hours and counting).

Curiosity has 10 science instruments to search for evidence about whether Mars has had environments favorable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life. The unique rover will use a laser to look inside rocks and release the gasses so that its spectrometer can analyze and send the data back to Earth.

Previous status reports are available at: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/index.html