NASA's Search For Alien Life On Mars Begins

(Newsroom America) -- There were no Martians to greet the remote-controlled Mars probe Curiosity when it successfully landed on the planet early Monday morning, but searching for alien life is foremost in its scientific mission which can now begin.

The nuclear-powered robotic scientific laboratory successfully transmitted images back to Earth soon after it landed.

NASA used a new type of vehicle re-entry system to effectively place Curiosity gently on the surface of the planet.

Curiosity is searching for "complex organic molecules" which would confirm life can evolve on planets other than earth.

It will also explore how methane formed in Mars' atmosphere, with methane being an indicator that life can exist.