After a successful launch on Saturday morning, we waited anxiously to learn that the spacecraft had separated from the launch vehicle. Indeed, the separation maneuver was beautiful, and Mars Science Laboratory is on its way to Mars. In eight and a half months Curiosity will land and begin exploring Gale Crater. Our two year (well, one Mars year) mission is to learn if Mars is or ever was a habitable planet.

This is the first post to this blog, and I have just returned home from launch week, so I'll keep it short for the moment. But I'll recommend that you check out the many You Tube videos of MSL launch and also separation of the spacecraft from launch vehicle.