President Obama Hails NASA Curiosity rover landing on Mars
Image Caption: Landing ellipse for Curiosity rover inside Gale Crater at the foot of Mount Sharp on Mars and will attempt to climb the mountain later in the mission. Credit: NASA
US President Barack Obama hailed the spectacular landing success of NASA’s Curiosity rover on Aug. 6 inside Gale Crater and eagerly awaits the discoveries to come. More accolades for Curiosity and the rover team are pouring in from all across the globe.
The White House issued the following statement:
Statement by the President on Curiosity Landing on Mars
“Tonight, on the planet Mars, the United States of America made history.
The successful landing of Curiosity – the most sophisticated roving laboratory ever to land on another planet – marks an unprecedented feat of technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future. It proves that even the longest of odds are no match for our unique blend of ingenuity and determination.
Tonight’s success, delivered by NASA, parallels our major steps forward towards a vision for a new partnership with American companies to send American astronauts into space on American spacecraft. That partnership will save taxpayer dollars while allowing NASA to do what it has always done best – push the very boundaries of human knowledge. And tonight’s success reminds us that our preeminence – not just in space, but here on Earth – depends on continuing to invest wisely in the innovation, technology, and basic research that has always made our economy the envy of the world.
I congratulate and thank all the men and women of NASA who made this remarkable accomplishment a reality – and I eagerly await what Curiosity has yet to discover.”
The 1 ton Mini Cooper sized robot geologist and roving chemistry lab is seeking the signs of life on Mars and is loaded with 165 pounds of the most sophisticated science instruments ever delivered to the surface of the Red Planet.
During a two-year prime mission, Curiosity the rover will investigate whether the region has ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life, and search for organic molecules – the chemical ingredients for life.
Recent Posts
Roman Space Telescope Will Be Hunting For Primordial Black Holes
When astrophysicists observe the cosmos, they see different types of black holes. They range from…
What Deadly Venus Can Tell Us About Life on Other Worlds
Even though Venus and Earth are so-called sister planets, they're as different as heaven and…
A Nebula that Extends its Hand into Space
The Gum Nebula is an emission nebula almost 1400 light-years away. It's home to an…
41,000 Years Ago Earth’s Shield Went Down
Earth is naked without its protective barrier. The planet's magnetic shield surrounds Earth and shelters…
Fall Into a Black Hole With this New NASA Simulation
No human being will ever encounter a black hole. But we can't stop wondering what…
Solar Max is Coming. The Sun Just Released Three X-Class Flares
The Sun is increasing its intensity on schedule, continuing its approach to solar maximum. In…