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In KSC's Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility-2 (SAEF- 2), Jet Propulsion Laboratory workers are mating the Mars Pathfinder small rover to one of the lander's three petals. When the lander touches down on the surface of Mars next year, the three petals of the lander -- closed for the six to seven month journey to the Red Planet -- will open like a flower to allow the rover to begin its quest to explore the Martian surface. The Mars Pathfinder is set for launch aboard a Delta II expendable launch vehicle on Dec. 2, the beginning of a 24-day launch period. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is managing the Mars Pathfinder project for NASA.