Mars Science Laboratory

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mars-science-laboratory

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the mission name?Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)
2. What is the robotic explorer?Curiosity rover
3. Why did Curiosity land in Gale Crater?Gale Crater was chosen because it has many different rocks and once had a big lake, making it a good place to look for signs of life.
4. How did Curiosity land safely on Mars?It used a special 'sky crane' that lowered the 2,000‑pound rover from a helicopter‑like craft onto the ground.

Astrobiology: The scientific study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe.
Biosignatures: Substances, patterns, or phenomena that provide evidence of past or present life.
Geochemistry: The science that uses chemistry to explain the mechanisms behind major geological systems.