Watch NASA's Mars MAVEN Probe Launch Today (VIDEO)

WATCH: Launch Of NASA's Newest Planetary Probe

The countdown for NASA's Mars probe MAVEN is under way in Cape Canaveral, Fla., as the space agency prepares to launch its newest robotic explorer on a 10-month journey to the Red Planet.

Plans call for MAVEN (that's short for Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN) to lift off at 1:28 p.m. EST. There's a 60-percent chance that weather conditions will be favorable enough to for the launch to occur, NBC Science reported.

Not residing in the Sunshine State? You can see the launch in the video above, via NASA Television.

The $671-million mission will help scientists "build a story of the Mars atmosphere and help future human explorers who journey to Mars," said John Grunsfeld, NASA's space science chief, according to the Associated Press.

Why Maven? As Grunsfeld put it, "A maven is a trusted expert."

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