Mars Science Laboratory

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover was moved from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station early this morning. It arrived at the launch complex at about 4:35 a.m. EDT. Teams then hoisted MSL on top of the Atlas V rocket. MSL was placed on the payload transporter on Nov. 2 in the PHSF after being integrated into the Atlas V payload fairing. Curiosity has 10 science instruments to search for evidence about whether Mars has had environments favorable for microbial life, including chemical ingredients for life. The unique rover will use a laser to look inside rocks and release the gasses so that its spectrometer can analyze and send the data back to Earth. MSL is targeted to launch on Nov. 25.

NASA's MSL mission page

Density Lab

I Have a Dream, by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

August 28, 1963


October 16, 2011

President Obama dedicates the statue of Dr. King at the National Mall in Washington, DC. This is the last statue that can, by law, be erected at this site. Dr. King's statue is between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials in a "line of leadership" as described by its designers.

The President took the opportunity to deliver Dr. King's message of peaceful resistance in a current context:
From NPR:
"Obama urged Americans to harness the energy of the civil rights movement for today's challenges and to remain committed to King's philosophy of peaceful resistance."


"Referring to citizen protests against the wealthy and powerful that have spread from Wall Street and Washington, even abroad, Obama said: "Dr. King would want us to challenge the excesses of Wall Street without demonizing those who work there."


Full NPR article here