Techtronics Mars Rovers Unit
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Mars Rovers Project
The Mars Rover project uses the Lego Mindstorm Kits to introduce students to concepts in mechanical and electrical engineering and computer science. Students play the role of NASA engineers working in teams of 4 facilitated by one of the Techtronics Fellows. The teams are working for the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts to design next generation Mars Rovers according to the following Techtronics Mars Design Challenge. Each group designs and constructs a vehicle out of Legos to navigate the "terrain" of Mars. The rovers are required to navigate an obstacle course built to simulate the surface of Mars and climb the ramp that represents the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons. To accomplish this task, the groups must first discuss ideas, agree on a design and decide how to build the robot. Then, they must build and program the robot. Each group uses a large number of iterations to determine the best ways to control the turning of the rover. Details must not be overlooked; students learn about the friction of the tires and how that affects turning times over different surfaces. They also learn about and must use a gear ratio capable of providing enough torque to move the rover up the incline representing Olympus Mons. The crew leader is responsible not only for providing engineering insight, but also for facilitating discussion such that each student’s voice is heard.
To get ideas about Mars Rovers, students can go to The Planetary Society website where they can remotely Drive a Mars Rover. These Lego rovers have web cameras mounted on them and drive through actual dioramas of various locations on Mars. A student driving a rover sees exactly what a scientist sees while remotely driving the real Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, on the red planet.
