WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills will speak about the contributions of small businesses to the success of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover mission during a Google+ Hangout at 10:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 19.

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Bolden and Mills will discuss ATA Engineering, which partnered with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory team to test and analyze the entry, descent and landing of Curiosity. The company contributed to the rover's wheels, actuators and thermal control systems. Bolden will speak from ATA Engineering's headquarters in Herndon, Va.

Reporters interested in participating in the Google+ Hangout may contact Lauren Worley at lauren.b.worley@nasa.gov for a link to the online discussion.

A direct link to the hangout will be posted immediately before Wednesday's scheduled start at 10:30 a.m., on NASA's Google+ page:

http://plus.google.com/+NASA

For more information about ATA Engineering, visit:

http://www.ata-e.com

For information about NASA's Curiosity rover mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

SOURCE NASA