On Nov. 18, all eyes will be on the sky – or screens at least— as NASA TV streams the launch of the MAVEN spacecraft.

The long-awaited Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, spacecraft is currently slated for launch at 11:28 a.m. (MST) on Monday, Nov. 18, and the campus community is invited to follow along at the MAVEN Launch Party begining at 11 a.m.

Faculty, students, and staff are invited to watch the launch in room 235 in the University Memorial Center. Admission is free, but you must register here. The launch will also be broadcast in dining halls and online. 

The MAVEN Launch Party in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom will also engage approximately 500 K-12 students. The event will include educational demonstrations provided by: Fiske Planetarium, The BOLD (Broadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity) Center, and Science Discovery. Students will have opportunities to participate in hands-on activities, win MAVEN prizes, and ask staff questions about the mission. 

Faculty, staff, and students from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) provide leading roles in the MAVEN mission by delivering science operations, preparing scientific instruments, and managing the mission’s education and public outreach program.

The launch party is hosted by the Office of the Chancellor and the Alumni Association with sponsorship from Exelis Inc., Lockheed Martin, and United Launch Alliance.

For more information about MAVEN or to watch the launch live on Nov. 18, visit  http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/blog/2013/11/14/get-involved-maven-blast-off-to-mars/.

Please note that while the launch is scheduled to occur Monday, Nov. 18 between 1:29 and 3:29 p.m. EST, the launch may be postponed due to inclement weather, technical delays or other unforeseen factors.