Resources for Kids, Facilitators Celebrate Next Mars Rover

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NASA's Mars Science Lab rover, Curiosity,is scheduled to launch this fall and will begin studying Mars' habitability when it arrives at the Red Planet in 2012. The ChemCam instrument on the soon-to-launch Mars Science Laboratory has a variety of resources on its site, from background information about Mars to blogs, activities, opportunities to post your own art and add your comments, and more.

Children ages 8 to 13 and their families may enjoy
- asking Dr. C., a computerized scientist, questions about Mars

- posting their own Mars-related artwork

- playing Mars-related games.

- and participating in Explore! Mars: Inside and Out! hands-on activities.

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NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) launched on Nov. 26, 2011, and it is en route to Mars for a landing on August 6, 2012. We recommend sharing these exciting mission updates with your visitors!

Download a video of the launch, in a variety of resolutions, from http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia ... x.cfm?v=34.

The Futures Channel has released a two-part special about the MSL mission. Appropriate for ages 11 and up.
- Video: Science on Mars, Part 2 (http://thefutureschannel.com/dockets/re ... e_lab_pt2/)
- Video: Science on Mars, Part 1 (http://www.thefutureschannel.com/docket ... ience_lab/)

The Stardate podcast has three episodes about MSL, describing its landing site, Gale Crater; its explorations to discover whether conditions on Mars were ever conducive for life; and how scientists are working to protect Mars from contamination by bacteria hitchhiking from Earth on the spacecraft. Visit http://stardate.org/radio/program/mars- ... boratory-i to begin listening to the first episode and to read a transcript.