Posted: Sun, Nov 20, 2011, 11:19 AM ET (1619 GMT)

NASA announced Saturday that the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission will be delayed a day to replace a component on its launch vehicle. NASA said that a battery that is part of the Atlas 5 rocket's flight termination system will be removed and replaced, delayed the launch by a day. MSL is now scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral at 10:02 am EST (1502 GMT) Saturday, November 26, at the beginning of a 103-minute launch window. MSL will deliver the Curiosity rover to Mars, landing in August 2012 to explore the planet's Gale Crater.