August 6, 2012 -- Updated 0605 GMT (1405 HKT) | One of the first images beamed back from NASA's Curiosity rover on August 6 is a photo of the shadow cast by the rover on the surface of Mars. NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover, shown in this artist's concept, is scheduled to touch down on the planet on August 6. Water-ice clouds, polar ice and other geographic features can be seen in this full-disk image of Mars from 2011. This image was captured in 1976 by Viking 2, one of two probes sent to investigate the surface of Mars for the first time. NASA's Viking landers blazed the trail for future missions to Mars. The Valles Marineris rift system on Mars is 10 times longer, five times deeper and 20...
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