Shortly after is landing, Curiosity called home. NASA's Mars Odyssey robotic spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mars since 2001, relayed the message back to NASA.

"She's in service nominal mode," said Watkins. "It's not in safe mode, but very healthy."

This is one of the first images taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. (Image: NASA)

Curiosity has already sent back its first picture, a high-resolution photo of its new home on Mars - the Gale Crater.

"Curiosity's landing site is beginning to come into focus," said John Grotzinger, project manager of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission. "What you see on the horizon is the rim of Gale Crater. In the foreground, you can see a gravel field. The question is, where does this gravel come from?"