The director of the highest-grossing film of all time is turning his talents to outer space.

James Cameron, whose 3-D fantasy Avatar was a global success, is helping build a high-resolution 3D camera that will sit atop Curiosity, the unmanned rover that the United States will send to Mars next year.

Originally, NASA decided not to include a 3-D camera because the mission was over budget. But according to Yahoo! Movies, Cameron met with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in January, arguing in favor of the camera. The director said a good 3-D camera would spark public interest in the mission.

Read James Cameron Confirms Avatar Sequel

“It’s a very ambitious expedition,” Cameron said. “It’s a very exciting expedition.” He said the mission is going to answer “a lot of questions about the previous and future habitability of Mars.”

Two previous rovers have been sent to analyze soil and rocks on Mars to determine if the planet ever had water.

Thanks to Cameron’s efforts, Malin Space Science Systems, a San Diego company, is building the 3-D camera—and listing Cameron as “co-investigator.” (Yahoo! Movies)

More News: Xanax nation...

Photo Source