JOIN NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER FOR A LIVE LANDING on Aug. 6th -- EXPERIENCE FOR FREE!!!!

Witness history at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s Visitor Center. On August 6, from midnight until 3:30 a.m., experience a live landing event as the Mars rover Curiosity touches down on the Red Planet.

 This exciting event, intended for adults and families with high school-aged children, will feature live NASA TV footage of the MSL control room, presentations about the Goddard-built Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite of instruments onboard the rover, and exciting multimedia about SAM and the Mars Science Laboratory mission, such as “7 Minutes of Terror.”

 Engaging exhibits include a Curiosity model and examples of rocks like ones Curiosity might find on Mars. Gaze at the night sky through telescopes. Talk to a NASA scientist or engineer. Immerse yourself in a 3D Mars image gallery.

Also enjoy the ongoing Visitor Center exhibits, including mesmerizing presentations on the stunning Science On a Sphere and a Gemini capsule model.

For more information on SAM and NASA’s exploration of Mars, visit: http://ssed.gsfc.nasa.gov/sam and http://www.nasa.gov/mars. Visit the Goddard Visitor Center website for directions and more information.

NOTE: This event is FREE! However, advance registration for this rare event is required. To Register, visit the Mars at Midnight Web site http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/features/2012/aug6-event.html.