As most readers of Space News already know, on the very early morning (Eastern time) of Aug. 6, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover is scheduled to make its dramatic landing on the martian surface. In virtually every respect, this mission is bigger, more ambitious and more challenging than any previous mission. If successful, it could move us far closer to understanding whether Mars has ever been suitable for life. But the importance of this mission goes far beyond the actual mission goals and engineering.

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