Editing Mars Science Laboratory (section)

{{Short description|Robotic mission that deployed the Curiosity rover to Mars in 2012}}
{{About|the spaceflight mission to Mars|the surface rover|Curiosity (rover)|events and findings on Mars|Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}

{{Cleanup|date=July 2024|reason=[[MOS:SANDWICH]]}}{{Infobox spaceflight
| name              = Mars Science Laboratory
| image             = MSL cruise stage configuration (PIA14831).png
| image_caption     = MSL cruise configuration
| mission_type      = [[Mars rover]]
| operator          = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID         = 2011-070A
| SATCAT            = 37936
| website           = [https://science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/ science.nasa.gov]
| mission_duration  = {{ubl|Primary: 669 [[Martian day|sol]]s (687 days)|Time since landing: {{age in sols|2012|08|06}} sols ({{time interval|6 August 2012 05:17|sep=,}})}}
| manufacturer      = [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory|JPL]]
| launch_mass       = {{convert|8463|lb|kg|order=flip|abbr=on}}<ref name="Mars Science Laboratory Landing Press Kit"/>
| dimensions        = <!--body dimensions and solar array span-->
| launch_date       = {{start date text|November 26, 2011, 15:02:00.211}}&nbsp;[[UTC]]<ref name="NASA-2"/><ref name="NASA-1"/><ref name="launch date announcement"/>
| launch_rocket     = [[Atlas V]] 541 (AV-028)
| launch_site       = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]] [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41|SLC-41]]<ref name="oig report"/>
| launch_contractor = [[United Launch Alliance]]
| interplanetary    = {{Infobox spaceflight/IP
 | component        = [[Curiosity (rover)|''Curiosity'']]
 | type             = rover
 | object           = [[Mars]]
 | arrival_date     = August 6, 2012, 05:17 UTC<br/>({{Age in years, months and days|year=2012|month=08|day=06}} ago)
 | location         = [[Bradbury Landing]], [[Gale (crater)|Gale Crater]]<br/>{{coord|4.5895|S|137.4417|E|globe:Mars}}<ref name="MSNBC-20120806">{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna48540619 |title=Video from rover looks down on Mars during landing |work=MSNBC |date=August 6, 2012 |access-date=October 7, 2012}}</ref><ref name="S&T-20120807">{{cite news |url=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/watch-curiosity-descend-onto-mars/ |title=Watch Curiosity Descend onto Mars |work=[[Sky & Telescope]] |first=Monica |last=Young |date=August 7, 2012 |access-date=October 7, 2012}}</ref>
 | distance         = {{Convert|30.00|km|abbr=on}} {{as of|2023|05|30|lc=y}}<ref name="where-is-curiosity?">{{cite web|title=Where Is Curiosity?|url=https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/where-is-the-rover|website=mars.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|access-date=30 May 2023|ref=12}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
 }}
| insignia          = Mars Science Laboratory mission logo.png
| insignia_caption  = MSL (''Curiosity'') mission patch
| programme         = '''[[Large Strategic Science Missions]]'''<br><small>''Planetary Science Division''</small>
| previous_mission  = [[Cassini–Huygens]]
| next_mission      = [[Mars 2020]]
| programme2        = '''[[Mars Exploration Program]]'''
| previous_mission2 = [[Phoenix (spacecraft)|Phoenix]]
| next_mission2     = [[MAVEN]]
}}

'''Mars Science Laboratory''' ('''MSL''') is a [[robotic spacecraft|robotic]] [[space probe]] mission to [[Mars]] launched by [[NASA]] on November 26, 2011,<ref name="NASA-2"/> which successfully landed ''[[Curiosity (rover)|Curiosity]]'', a [[Mars rover]], in [[Gale (crater)|Gale Crater]] on August 6, 2012.<ref name="NASA-1"/><ref name="Space-20120806">{{cite news |url=http://www.space.com/16932-mars-rover-curiosity-landing-success.html |title=Touchdown! Huge NASA Rover Lands on Mars |work=Space.com |last=Wall |first=Mike |date=August 6, 2012 |access-date=December 14, 2012}}</ref><ref name=Sol3>{{cite web |title=MSL Sol 3 Update |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f8HHQ2U2jg  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/6f8HHQ2U2jg| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|publisher=NASA Television |access-date=August 9, 2012 |date=August 8, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="SF1012012-07-06"/> The overall objectives include investigating Mars' [[Planetary habitability|habitability]], studying its [[Climate of Mars|climate]] and [[Planetary geology|geology]], and collecting data for a [[human mission to Mars]].<ref name="overview"/> The rover carries a variety of scientific instruments designed by an international team.<ref name="MarsExplorationMMRTG"/>