msl

MSL stands for Mars Science Laboratory, a NASA Mars mission that carries the Curiosity rover. Managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MSL's primary objective is to assess Mars's past habitability and geology by investigating the planet's ancient environments.

Launching on November 26, 2011, the mission landed in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012, using a novel sky crane descent system. Powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, Curiosity is the heaviest rover to operate on Mars and has operated far beyond its original two-year primary mission.

Curiosity carries an integrated suite of scientific instruments, including MastCam, ChemCam, MAHLI, APXS, DAN, RAD, REMS, SAM, CHEMIN, and MARDI. These instruments analyze rocks and soils, measure weather and radiation, and search for organic compounds and minerals indicative of past water.

Key findings include evidence that Gale Crater hosted a long-lived lake and that ancient sediments record changing environmental conditions. The mission has detected organic molecules in clay-bearing rocks and confirmed past water activity. Methane has been detected intermittently in the Martian atmosphere, though its source remains uncertain.

As of the mid-2020s, MSL continues to operate and investigate Mount Sharp's sedimentary layers, contributing to the understanding of Mars's past habitability and climate.

Note: MSL is also an acronym for other terms in different contexts; this article focuses on the Mars Science Laboratory.