Mars rover Curiosity's other mission: PR

Science is not the only objective of the Curiosity mission on Mars. Promoting the mission at a time of budget cuts is also crucial.NASA's Curiosity rover was designed to search Mars for places capable of supporting life. But the $2.5-billion mission has another, unofficial objective: To serve as a goodwill ambassador for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge at a time when funding for planetary exploration is in jeopardy.

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