Editing Mars Science Laboratory (section)

== Cruise ==
[[File:Animation of Mars Science Laboratory trajectory.gif|thumb|right|Animation of Mars Science Laboratory{{'s}}  trajectory<br />{{legend2| RoyalBlue| Earth}}{{·}}{{legend2| Lime| Mars}}{{·}}{{legend2|Magenta|Mars Science Laboratory}}]]

=== Cruise stage ===
The cruise stage carried the MSL spacecraft through the void of space and delivered it to Mars. The interplanetary trip covered the distance of 352 million miles in 253 days.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/science/space/nasas-curiosity-rover-gets-moving-on-mars.html?_r=0 |title=After Trip of 352 Million Miles, Cheers for 23 Feet on Mars |access-date=October 18, 2012 |first=Kenneth |last=Chang |date=August 22, 2012 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> The cruise stage has its own miniature [[propulsion]] system, consisting of eight thrusters using [[hydrazine]] fuel in two [[titanium]] tanks.<ref name=cruise/> It also has its own [[electric power system]], consisting of a [[solar array]] and battery for providing continuous power. Upon reaching Mars, the spacecraft stopped spinning and a cable cutter separated the cruise stage from the aeroshell.<ref name=cruise/> Then the cruise stage was diverted into a separate trajectory into the atmosphere.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Design and Fabrication of the Cruise Stage Spacecraft for MSL |first=N. |last=Dahya |title=2008 IEEE Aerospace Conference |pages=1–6 |date=March 1–8, 2008 |publisher=IEEE Explore|doi=10.1109/AERO.2008.4526539 |isbn=978-1-4244-1487-1 |s2cid=21599522 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/interactives/edlcuriosity/ |title=Follow Curiosity's descent to Mars |access-date=August 23, 2012 |year=2012 |work=NASA |quote=Animation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821024425/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/interactives/edlcuriosity/ |archive-date=August 21, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In December 2012, the debris field from the cruise stage was located by the ''Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter''. Since the initial size, velocity, density and impact angle of the hardware are known, it will provide information on impact processes on the Mars surface and atmospheric properties.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-386 |title=Orbiter Spies Where Rover's Cruise Stage Hit Mars |website=[[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] }}</ref>

=== Mars transfer orbit ===
The MSL spacecraft departed [[low Earth orbit|Earth orbit]] and was inserted into a [[Heliocentric orbit|heliocentric]] [[Mars transfer orbit]] on November 26, 2011, shortly after launch, by the [[Centaur (rocket stage)|Centaur upper stage]] of the Atlas V launch vehicle.<ref name=ula20120819/>  Prior to Centaur separation, the spacecraft was spin-stabilized at 2 rpm for [[Spacecraft attitude control|attitude control]] during the {{convert|36210|kph|mph|abbr=on}} cruise to Mars.<ref>{{cite news |first=William |last=Harwood |title=Mars Science Laboratory begins cruise to red planet |date=November 26, 2011 |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av028/ |work=Spaceflight Now |access-date=August 21, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427010412/http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av028/ |archive-date=April 27, 2014 }}</ref>

During cruise, eight thrusters arranged in two clusters were used as [[actuator]]s to control spin rate and perform axial or lateral [[trajectory]] correction maneuvers.<ref name="DESCANSO"/>  By spinning about its central axis, it maintained a stable attitude.<ref name="DESCANSO"/><ref name=report>{{Cite report |last=Way |first=David W. |title=Mars Science Laboratory: Entry, Descent, and Landing System Performance – System and Technology Challenges for Landing on the Earth, Moon, and Mars |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20090007730_2009006430.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225022544/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20090007730_2009006430.pdf |archive-date=February 25, 2014 |display-authors=etal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dsi.unifi.it/DRIIA/RaccoltaTesi/Bacconi.pdf |title=Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control |access-date=August 11, 2012 |last=Bacconi |first=Fabio |year=2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512135912/http://www.dsi.unifi.it/DRIIA/RaccoltaTesi/Bacconi.pdf |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>  Along the way, the cruise stage performed four trajectory correction maneuvers to adjust the spacecraft's path toward its landing site.<ref name='TrajecoryCorrectons'>{{cite web |url=http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1292 |title=Status Report – Curiosity's Daily Update |access-date=August 13, 2012 |date=August 6, 2012 |publisher=NASA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809203611/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1292 |archive-date=August 9, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Information was sent to mission controllers via two X-band [[antenna (radio)|antennas]].<ref name="cruise"/> A key task of the cruise stage was to control the temperature of all spacecraft systems and dissipate the heat generated by power sources, such as [[solar cell]]s and motors, into space. In some systems, [[Multi-layer insulation|insulating blankets]] kept sensitive science instruments warmer than the near-[[absolute zero]] temperature of space. Thermostats monitored temperatures and switched heating and cooling systems on or off as needed.<ref name=cruise/>