first up, michael meyer, lead scientist mars exploration program nasa headquarters in washington d.c. michael watkins, while an engineer whose official title is mission manager from the msl project the jet propulsion laboratory in pasadena california. john grant, geologists, smithsonian national air and space museum museum here in washington. don sumner, geologists, you see davis california. and john grotzinger, msl project scientist at the jet propulsion laboratory in pasadena. without michael, kick it off. >> thanks. >> thanks duane. today 35 years ago viking one landed on the surface of mars and made the first astrobiology cool measurements on another planet. the landing was actually delayed because they didn't have the images to know where to land. we are in a different era. we are here today to announce exactly where we are going to put the mars science laboratory. the first asher biology mission since the viking. we indeed are in a different era and that in 1995, nasa produced a bat go biology and laid out a series of missions on how to understand the biological potential of the

first up, michael meyer. lead scientist. mars exploration program as i have corridor's washington, d.c. -- nasa headquarters, washington, d.c. john grant, a geologist, smithsonian national air and space museum here in washington. don sumner, a geologist, uc- davis california. john bratsinger. with that, michael, kick it off. take a think you. ago, biking35 years one that landed on the surface of mars and made the first measurements on another planet. the landing was delayed because they did not have the images to know where to land. we a in a different era. we're here today to announce exactly where we are going to put the mars science laboratory. we live in a different era. in 1995 nasa produced a strategy for exploring mars and laid out a series of missions on how to understand the red planet. basically it has led the exploration program to go from global reconnaissance to detailed measuremen on the surface and the eventual returns from mars. the mars science laboratory is on that path and plays a very critical role in it.