Key Dates

Launched:
7:02 a.m. PST, Nov. 26, 2011
(10:02 a.m. EST)

Landed:
10:32 p.m. PDT, Aug. 5, 2012
(1:32 a.m. EDT, Aug. 6, 2012)

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Mission Fact Sheet:
Mission Fact Sheet (PDF, 768 KB)

The phases of the mission include:

• Pre-launch Activities: Preparation for the mission, including landing site selection, assembly and testing, and delivery to Cape Canaveral
• Launch: Lift-off from Earth
• Cruise: Voyage through space
• Approach: Nearing the red planet Mars
• Entry, Descent, and Landing: Journey through the martian atmosphere to the surface
• First Drive: After landing when engineers first conduct tests to ensure the rover is in a "safe state"
• Surface Operations: Learning about Mars through the day-to-day activities of the rover