Launch Complex 41

The Mars Curiosity Rocket was among the most exciting parts of the tour during the NASA Tweetup.  How often can you get near a rocket like this?

The Atlas V 541, two stage rocket is made up of a 12 foot common core booster powered by a single RD-180 engine, four solid rocket boosters, and one Centaur III payload fairing. The rocket stands 191 feet tall and weighs 1.17 million pounds fully fueled.

The Centaur payload fairing, where the American flag is, houses the rover.

The four lighting protection towers surrounding the rocket are lightning rods to protect the rocket in the event of a lighting strike. The catenary lines attract the charge which travels down to the ground where it is dissipated safely.

The time it takes to move the rocket from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad is about 30 minutes. It moves just at a speed just over four miles per hour.