1. ROADS on
MARS
Student Challenge
nwessp.org/mars

2. Regional Hubs from Apollo Next Giant Leap Student Challenge (ANGLeS)

3. Regional Hub Benefits Closer ties to your community
Increase profile of your own institution (ANGLeS generated at least 24 news articles in 13 states)
Chance to reach communities that do not have access to a lot of NASA STEM Programs
One team from qualifying hubs have funded trip to see launch of Mars in late July/Aug 2020

4. Impactful Effort
“I can’t believe how the challenge has inspired dreams for the kids.  They have been doodling, drawing pictures, making models, writing stories, and making Lego projects all having to do with the ANGLeS Challenge on their own.  My daughter has never been involved with a project that she thinks about so often.  One of the other flight directors said one of her kids made a huge lunar lander model just because he was so into it, even though it was way too heavy for the drone to carry.”

5. JOIN US (NESSP) IN SUPPORTING ROADS on MARS
NESSP Provides $10K of Support
Use it to support costs for running the challenge
Professional Development workshop for Educators
Items for teams to complete the challenge
NESSP (our group) provides all registration support
Hub director (or substitute) eligible to attend the launch (though the director has to attain own travel funds)

6. Eligibility Requirements for trip to view the launch of Mars 2020
We do want Hubs to recruit through Educator Networks/FIRST to participate in the Challenge
In ANGLeS some Hubs were very successful with > 40 teams participating;
Some Hubs not so successful in recruitment
That is okay – we just ask the Hubs to do their best.

7. Regional Hub: Eligibility Requirements for trip to view the launch of Mars 2020
However, for a team from a Hub to be eligible for the trip to KSC (which is a large investment by NASA), this year a minimum recruitment is required:
20 teams Registered to Participate at a Hub (negotiable for low population states)
~10 teams compete in the Regional Challenge
Local Challenges encouraged so that a Regional Hub is not overwhelmed
Easily achieved if one can arrange a Professional Development workshop (particularly in underserved communities, which we will support with our staff)

8. Rover Observations And Drone Survey on Mars
ROADS on
MARS
Rover Observations And Drone Survey on Mars
Registration: Opens Sept 23
Mini-Challenges: Dec and Feb
Local Challenges: March
Regional Challenges: April 4-5
(One week from Apollo 13; can be changed for hubs if a date better matches school year)
Mars 2020 Launch: Late July/early Aug

9. Challenge Components
Students will work with a map of the actual Mars 2020 landing site, and develop Earth analogues of observations that the rover might make.
Mars surface processes – alluvial fan and crater formation
Search for life – methane detection and macro-invertebrates
Drone landing systems and remote sensing
Robotics exploration

10. Challenge Details: Grades 3-4: Spirit Challenge
Environment, Search for Life, Drones, Ozobots
Grades 5-8: Opportunity Challenge
Environment, Search for Life, Drones, Lego Mindstorm
Grades 9-12 Curiosity Challenge
Environment, Search for Life, Drones, Lego Mindstorm, MiniDrone, & Humidity Sensor

11. 1. Environment Effort Stream Flow Table – Earth/Mars analogues
Video record variances such as flow rate, size of gravel, vegetation OR
Look at crater formation processes

12. 2. Search For Life Explore their neighborhoods for methane signatures
Using those signatures, search for macro invertebrates

13. 3. Drone/Lander
Build a lander that is attached to a drone to fly to Mars and then land on the surface.
For institutions unable to fly a drone for safety reasons, this component can be replaced by a bean bag toss.

14. 4. Program Robot to Explore Actual Landing Site of Mars 2020
Multiple Tasks:
Picking up Lego rocks
Cache the rock samples on the surface
Use the drone to image inside a crater
High School
Recover rock samples
Fly a mini-drone
Humidity

15. Other Organizations
The above description assumes participation through the Hubs
If you are part of a national organization and need to operate differently, we are open to working with you to ensure inclusion of your efforts
Questions? Please contact: