Ten-year-old Starr is thrilled to be one of the first humans to visit Mars, along with the rest of her family and two children from the space tourism program--but when the planetary exploration vehicle that Starr and the other children are in malfunctions it is up to her to figure out a way to contact the adults so they can be rescued.

Weighing as much as a small car, a rover named Curiosity rolls quietly around Mars. Scientific instruments pack its body and cluster at the end of a mechanical arm. An arrangement of lenses and instruments tops its mast, like a face. To the many NASA workers involved in Curiosity s mission on Mars, the rover is not simply a robot, but an astronaut bravely exploring an alien place. Curiosity s instruments collect data and its cameras take images of...

"No one has yet visited Mars - at least, no humans have. Robot rovers have explored the surface of the Red Planet, and it's the job of people on Earth to control their every movement. Find out what's involved in being a rover driver, the tools and skills you need, and the difficulties of controlling something that's millions of miles away"--Provided by publisher.

Now for the first time Scott Hubbard tells the complete story of how he fashioned this program, describing both the technical and political forces involved and bringing to life the national and international cast of characters engaged in this monumental endeavor. Blending the exciting stories of the missions with the thrills of scientific discovery, Exploring Mars will intrigue anyone interested in the science, the engineering, or the policy of investigating...

"National Geographic and science journalist Marc Kaufman combine inside stories, fascinating facts, and eye-popping pictures, some never before seen, of the red planet and NASA's groundbreaking Curiosity mission. Renowned author Kaufman spent two years embedded with the engineers and scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, cheering on the rover's spine-tingling landing, learning the backstory of anticipated findings, and witnessing the inescapable...

"The story of the people who designed, built, launched, landed, and are now operating the Mars rover Curiosity. Award-winning science writer Rod Pyle provides a behind-the-scenes look into the recent space mission to Mars of Curiosity--the unmanned rover that is now providing researchers with unprecedented information about the red planet. Pyle follows the team of dedicated scientists whose job it is to explore new vistas on Mars. Readers will also...

"Vivid photos and up-to-date information teach readers about Mars, including details on climate and geography, how scientists have explored the planet, and what they hope to find out about Mars in the future"--

Told in rhyming text, a young girl imagines herself on a mission to Mars with Curiosity, the Mars rover, as she gets ready to go to bed.