PASADENA, Calif. - NASA will host a media teleconference at noon PST (3 p.m. EST) today, Feb. 20, to provide an update on the Mars rover Curiosity mission. Earlier today, Curiosity engineers confirmed the rover had collected the first-ever sample from inside a rock on Mars.The Mars Science Laboratory project and its Curiosity rover are investigating whether conditions on Mars have ever been favorable for microbial life.Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl Visuals will be available at the start of the teleconference at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

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Guy Webster/Elena Mejia 818-354-5011Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.guy.webster@jpl.nasa.gov / elena.mejia@jpl.nasa.govDwayne Brown 202-358-0918NASA Headquarters, WashingtonDwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov2013-065b