A rover is a planetary surface exploration device designed to move across the solid surface on a planet or other planetary mass celestial bodies.  The rover is an autonomous robotic vehicle that can move across uneven and rocky terrain that is typical of the Martian surface.  It has cameras and other scientific instruments onboard.  The rover can be remotely programmed and controlled from Earth.  The pictures below show various rovers deployed by NASA over the decades to conduct a variety of scientific experiments on planet Mars.  These rovers relay the collected scientific data back to monitoring stations on Earth for further analysis.  Over time, the rovers are helping us understand many things about Mars and will ultimately pave the way for humans to arrive and possibly settle down on Mars.

Rovers help scientists in their quest to understand what different parts of the planet are made of. Mars is made up of lots of different types of rocks, and each rock is made up of a mixture of chemicals. A rover can drive around to different areas, studying the different chemicals in each rock.  These chemicals can tell scientists something about the environments that changed that rock over time. 

The scientific objectives of the Mars Exploration Rover mission are to: 

• Search for and characterize a variety of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity. 

• Determine the distribution and composition of minerals, rocks, and soils surrounding the landing sites.

• Determine what geological processes have shaped the local terrain and influenced the chemistry. 

• Characterize the mineralogy and texture of rocks and soils to determine the processes that created them.

• Search for geological clues to the environmental conditions that existed when liquid water was present on Mars.

• Assess whether those environments were conducive to life.

The mission of the Mars 2020 rover focuses on surface-based studies of the Martian environment, seeking preserved signs of biosignatures in rock samples that formed in ancient Martian environments with conditions that might have been favorable to microbial life. 

NASA has so far sent 5 rovers to Mars...

Below, you will find two types of activities:

1. Digital Activity

2. Physical Activity

You can use the knowledge acquired in this module to complete and submit either a digital activity, or a physical activity or both.  The choice is yours, but submitting at least one activity per module is important to receive participation certificate at the end of the bootcamp.

Complete ANY ONE of the below activities using a digital or AI tool of your choice:

• Design a 3D Model of a Mars Rover.  Have it 3D printed using the 3D printer in your Lab.

• Create an animation video or 3D Model of a Rover that has an onboard camera and a set of sensors.  Make sure the rover can move over uneven surfaces - up and down small rocks.

• Create an animation video  or 3D Model of a Rover that can flip itself back in case it flips over over a rock and turns upside down.

• Create an animation video  or 3D Model of a Rover that can scout the polar regions of Mars for iced-water and extract liquid water from it.

• Create a Mobile app that gives information about the 5 rovers sent by NASA to study Mars.

• Create a game that allows you to navigate a Rover over the Martian surface, avoiding bigger rocks, deep pits, and craters, while conducting as many experiments on soil and rocks to earn more points.  If the Rover topples over, you lose points.

Customize or enhance the above activities further as per your interest and bandwidth.

If you need guidance in using AI-based digital tools, please click here.

Submitting your Digital Activity: Click the "Submit Activity" button at the bottom of this page to submit your digital activity.  In the submission form, paste the link to your digital creation directly from the online tool, or paste the link to your digital creation from your Google Drive folder.  Ensure that the link has "public access" or "Anyone with the link can view".

Submitting your Physical Activity: Take a photo or video clip of your physical prototype or model and upload it to your Google Drive folder.  Click the "Submit Activity" button at the bottom of this page to submit your physical activity.  In the activity submission form, paste the link to the photo or video uploaded on your Google Drive folder. Ensure that the link has "public access" or "Anyone with the link can view".