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The pre-launch period covers everything from initial mission design to all stages of building and testing the rover, its spacecraft and its launch vehicle prior to liftoff from Earth. It requires meticulous attention to detail and years of exertion to get everything right for a successful, on-time launch. While engineers work on building and testing, scientists at universities and research institutions throughout the United States and the world plan their instrument observations and deciding how to make the best use of the rover's powerful capabilities.
Pre-launch activities include:
- Landing Site Selection
The final landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory is Gale Crater. - Assembly and Testing at Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The Curiosity rover was assembled and tested in a clean room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California - Shipping the Spacecraft to Cape Canaveral
The Curiosity rover completed the journey from its California birthplace to Florida in preparation for launch. - Assembly and Testing at Kennedy Space Center
Once the spacecraft arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the team still had considerable work to prepare the spacecraft for final assembly and launch.