Agency and contractor officials discussed preparations for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN or MAVEN mission.

During a news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, agency and contractor officials discussed preparations for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, mission. Calling on a member of the news media for a question, is George Diller of NASA Public Affairs, left. Also participating are Geoffrey Yoder, NASA deputy associate administrator of programs in the Science Mission Directorate, center, and Omar Baez, NASA launch director.

MAVEN is being prepared for its scheduled launch on Nov 18, 2013 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Positioned in an orbit above the Red Planet, MAVEN will study the upper atmosphere of Mars in unprecedented detail. For information on the MAVEN mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/index.html. Photo credit: NASA

MAVEN is being prepared for its scheduled launch on Nov 18, 2013 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Positioned in an orbit above the Red Planet, MAVEN will study the upper atmosphere of Mars in unprecedented detail. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett