If there ever were a robot likely to capture the imagination of scientists, robotics hobbyists, engineers, students and educators alike, “Curiosity,” the latest Mars Rover, is surely the platform. It weighs approximately 2,000 pounds, cost something on the order of a billion dollars to design and be made ready for launch, and is the last and greatest mobile robot on the NASA roster for the time being. Watching it take off and fly to its destination will be a spellbinding experience, not just for NASA and JPL, but for all Americans and everyone else. It is scheduled to lift off at 10:02 AM ET, at least at this point, as weather conditions can change, as can the status of systems, Saturday morning, from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The trip will take 9 months… We at Robot magazine will be there to provide the latest developments.