At NASA's Family & Community Mars Exploration Day held in Cape Canaveral Fla. students look at a model of the Mars Exploration Rover.

At NASA's Family & Community Mars Exploration Day held in Cape Canaveral, Fla., students look at a remote-controlled model of the Mars Exploration Rover. The event informed students and the general public about Florida's key role as NASA's "Gateway to Mars" and offered an opportunity to meet with scientists, engineers, educators and others working Mars exploration missions. The Mars Exploration Rovers are being prepared for launch this spring aboard Boeing Delta II rockets from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. They will land on Mars and start exploring in January 2004.