Mars Science Laboratory at Work, Artist’s Concept

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, a mobile robot for investigating Mars' past or present ability to sustain microbial life, is in development for a launch opportunity in 2009. This picture is an artist's concept portraying what the advanced rover would look like when examining a rock outcrop on Mars. The arm extending from the front of the rover is designed both to position some of the rover's instruments close to selected targets and also to collect samples for onboard analysis by other instruments.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington.