Mars rover beams back spectacular photos, NASA greeting - Christian Science Monitor

&quot;As Curiosity continues her mission, we hope the words of the administrator will be an inspiration to someone who's alive today, who will become the first to stand upon the surface of the planet&nbsp;Mars,&quot; Lavery told reporters today (Aug. 27). &quot;Like the great Neil Armstrong, they'll be able to speak aloud â€" in first person at that point â€" of the next giant leap in human exploration.&quot;For the next two years, Curiosity is slated to explore Gale and the crater's 3.4-mile-high (5.5 kilometers) central peak, the mysterious&nbsp;Mount Sharp. The $2.5 billion rover is outfitted with 10 different science instruments to aid its quest, including a rock-zapping laser and gear that can identify organic compounds â€" the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it.<br />http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0828/Mars-rover-beams-back-spectacular-photos-NASA-greeting