Mars rover NASA's latest start their journey to the Red Planet. Curiosity, car-sized vehicle that had slid over the weekend and was to travel as far as 570 million kilometers from Earth to Mars.
If nothing gets in the way, it is estimated, giant robots valued at U.S. $ 2.5 billion or about Rp22, 7 trillion, it will arrive on Mars approximately 8.5 months later.
"We have started the journey," said Pete Theisinger, MSL Project Manager of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as quoted from Space, 28 November 2011. "The spacecraft is in good condition and is now heading towards Mars," he said.
The MSL's primary mission to Mars is to determine whether the planet is unable or once supported microbial life. This mission which started doing this myself since 2003 is planned to be deployed in 2009, however, NASA failed to meet deadlines.
But the success of the launch is just the first stage of a difficult mission which is expected to last at least two years of time on Earth. "We understand this is just the early stages of the mission. We still have to work hard in the next 8.5 months, "said Theisinger.
The plan, Curiosity will land on Mars in August 2012. However, the mission team members can not be relaxed to let vehicles weighing 1 ton to go alone to Mars. They should continue to monitor and make corrections direction. The team will also conduct a number of tests to ensure the 10 scientific instruments that are there work well.