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Nominate your name to travel to Mars

Not as big as the Big Bang, but this Big Blast blows away any other explosion ever seen by astronomers. The supermassive black hole at the core of our Milky Way galaxy is generating more heat than expected. And when NASA's MAVEN mission launches, you can add your name to those going along on the trip.

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Watch Now — NOVA: Ultimate Mars Challenge

NOVA: Meteor Strike

In August, a rover named Curiosity touched down inside Mars' Gale Crater, carrying 10 new instruments that will advance the quest for signs that Mars might once have been suitable for life. But Curiosity's mission is risky. After parachuting through the Martian atmosphere at twice the speed of sound, Curiosity was gently lowered to the planet's surface by a "sky crane." Watch more from NOVA »

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