Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Launch On An Atlas 5 Rocket from KSC

I recorded this video from the roof of the KSC Launch Control Center.

NASA began a historic voyage to Mars with the Nov. 26 launch of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), which carries a car-sized rover named Curiosity. Liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard an Atlas V rocket occurred at 10:02 a.m. EST. The mission will pioneer precision landing technology and a sky-crane touchdown to place Curiosity near the foot of a mountain inside Gale Crater on Aug. 6, 2012. During a nearly two-year prime mission after landing, the rover will investigate whether the region has ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life. The Atlas V initially lofted the spacecraft into Earth orbit and then, with a second burst from the vehicle's upper stage, pushed it out of Earth orbit into a 352-million-mile (567-million-kilometer) journey to Mars.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Mars Science Laboratory
• Rocket Launch
• Kennedy Space Center
• space
• Atlas
• MSL
• Curiosity
• rover
• lander
• spacecraft
• launches
• liftoff
• NASA
• Kennedy
• spaceflight
• Mars
• Martian

[effyleven]

Question: Is the official countdown/commentry heard over a massive PA, as it sounds... or maybe delivered over FM radio on a local frequency? I mean, it looks to be a couple of miles to the pad... ????

[handygeek]

Wow - you were in a spectacular position!