NASA has unveiled its latest version of the Mars rover. And at the size of a small car, it towers over its predecessors.

 

The rover, called "Curiosity" has been designed to carry on the mission of discovery pioneered by its predecessors, "Spirit" and "Opportunity." It will run on decaying plutonium during its scheduled trip to the Red Planet in 2011.

It's a new and improved design with the same mission as it's predecessors - to find out if life ever existed on Mars. Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab are putting the finishing touches on Curiosity, the new Mars Rover scheduled for launch in late 2011.

The rover is about the size of a Mini Cooper, and roughly twice as big as Spirit and Opportunity, the two rovers currently on Mars.

And unlike the "airbag" landings of the last two missions, this vehicle will have a much smoother arrival on the Red Planet. Curiosity will descend beneath a parachute and then, during the final seconds prior to landing, it will be lowered on a tether to the surface.

Once on the ground, the rover will be able to roll over obstacles up to 75 centimeters high and travel up to 90 meters per hour.