The Mars Curiosity Rover Has Landed On Mars To Look For Life

NASA has set up a live stream of this seminal event and it is fascinating. The rover is set to land on Mars at 1:31 AM ET today, Monday. Watch the mission live on NASA's stream.

Watch the livestream:

The landing includes a so-called “seven minutes of terror,” followed by confirmation of a safe landing in the form of a computer-code beep (it's the end of "Say Anything" all over again), followed by black and white photos just a few minutes after the landing. early Wednesday morning, we're expected to have our first high-resolution color photographs. This is is the first mission to look for extraterrestrial life on Mars since the 1970s, and is the most expensive mission to another planet ever undertaken.

UPDATE 1:38 AM ET: We have landed on Mars and have received Curiosity's first photo!

UPDATE 1:44 AM ET: NASA is very, very, very happy right now.

UPDATE: 2:00 AM ET: Hot Mohawk Guy is kind of a big deal.

His name is Bobak Ferdowsi and he's a flight director for this mission.

Bobak F. @tweetsoutloud

So incredible to be a part of this team and all that we've accomplished. Impossible not to be an emotional wreck. #msl #jpl #nasa #curiosity

05:51 AM - 06 Aug 2012

So incredible to be a part of this team and all that we've accomplished. Impossible not to be an emotional wreck. #msl #jpl #nasa #curiosity-- Bobak F.