WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a briefing at noon EST, Thursday, Dec. 4, about the agency's Mars Science Laboratory, or MSL. The briefing will take place in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E Street, S.W., Washington.

The MSL mission will assess a variety of scientific questions, including whether part of early Mars had an environment favorable for supporting life and for preserving evidence of life. The MSL rover will carry the largest, most advanced suite of instruments for scientific studies ever sent to the surface of the Red Planet.

The briefing participants are:

- Michael Griffin, NASA administrator

- Ed Weiler, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington

- Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters

- Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

The briefing will air live on NASA Television. Reporters may ask questions from participating NASA locations. Reporters also may listen or ask questions by phone. To reserve a phone line, contact J.D. Harrington at 202-358-5241 or j.d.harrington@nasa.gov.

For information about NASA TV, streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about MSL, visit:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl