Editing Mars Science Laboratory (section)

=== 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/>