Space.com has an article on the current status of the Mars Science Laboratory, 'Curiosity.' The good news is that most technical and budget concerns have been resolved and no longer threaten the launch schedule or budget. However, NASA is still trying to determine if substandard titanium parts possibly delivered by a contractor could fail. Depending on where any substandard titanium was used, it could be the cause of another launch delay.
Also, I'm at the AGU conference. For this afternoon and tomorrow morning, several sessions focus on future missions and updates on the Decadal Survey process. Look for an update Friday night or Saturday morning.
I read in another article that not only the titanium parts but also some of the precision screws in the Mars Rover were a bit problematic due to the high temperatures and dust on Mars. Let's hope Curiosity's titanium parts will stick together for a while ;)
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