The Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover, launches into space from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Nov. 26, 2011.
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity blasts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Nov. 26, 2011.
NASA's Curiosity rover launches into space.
NASA's Curiosity rover launches atop an Atlas 5 rocket on Nov. 26, 2011.
The Atlas 5 rocket carrying NASA's Curiosity rover blasts into space.
The Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover, rockets into space.
A close view of the Atlas 5 rocket blasting into space with the Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover.
The Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover, rockets into space aboard an Atlas 5 rocket.
The Mars Science Laboratory launches into space on an Atlas 5 rocket on Nov. 26, 2011.
The solid rocket boosters fall away from the Atlas 5 rocket during the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory on Nov. 26, 2011.
An onboard view of the Atlas 5 rocket as it blasts into space with NASA's newest Mars rover, Curiosity.
This onboard view shows the successful spacecraft separation about 45 minutes after launch. The Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover, is now on its way to Mars.
The Atlas 5 rocket carrying the Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover, stands poised at the launch pad, just over a minute before launch.
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover was hoisted atop its Atlas 5 rocket on Nov. 3, 2011.
In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing containing NASA's Mars rover Curiosity stands securely atop the transporter that will carry it to Space Launch Complex 41 on Nov. 3, 2011.
The Curiosity rover, nestled atop its Atlas 5 rocket, was rolled out to its launchpad at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Nov. 25, 2011, to prepare for its blastoff on Nov. 26.
In this still from a NASA video, the Mars rover Curiosity, encased in its payload fairing, is hoisted up to be placed atop its Atlas 5 rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Nov. 3, 2011.
At Space Launch Complex 41, the payload fairing containing NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft has been attached to a lifting device in preparation for a planned Nov. 25, 2011, launch.