FRC Blogged - SpaceX Internships, our own Mission Control

FIRST General Forum
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Taken from the FRC Blog, 4/3/13: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-spacex-internships-our-own-mission-control

SpaceX Internships, our own Mission Control
**Blog Date: **
Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - 18:24

SpaceX Internships
Did you see the last email blast? SpaceX is offering exclusive internship opportunities to students in FIRST! If you are a senior this year, and participating in FRC or FTC, you can apply for an internship that would likely take place after you complete your sophomore year in college. It took us some time to put this together, and we want to select winners by Championship, so the clock is ticking! The application deadline is Monday, April 15th. Check out the details on this exciting opportunity here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/2013-internship.

Mission Control
Picture: http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2013/DSC_0036.JPG
(LEFT: Kevin O’Connor, FRC Engineer & Lead CSA; RIGHT: Ryan Foley, FRC Software Engineer)

Many folks probably don’t realize it but FRC has its own version of ‘Mission Control’. Anytime an event is going on during the regular FRC Season, anywhere in the world, that event is being monitored and supported remotely by one or more folks from FIRST headquarters. In these photos, you can see the area from which this usually happens, on the 5th Floor of 200 Bedford Street in Manchester, NH. We have a fully operational FMS, along with all the scoring panels, indicator lights, e-stops and other equipment that are part of every competition field. We also have Classmates acting as Driver Stations, and just outside the door to this area, a fully assembled field-end, complete with goals. This full set-up allows us to evaluate and respond to any potential issues that arise during events, as well as test potential system enhancements between events. Just like teams do with their robots, we use what we learn during events to continuously improve.

In addition to monitoring the FMS systems in use at events electronically, and keeping in regular contact with FTAs and Scorekeepers via Skype, our crew watches the events through webcasts when they are available. This lets us tie what we are seeing through the system directly with action on the field. Also, we can see all support tickets entered through National Instrument’s Parkway system, which is used to track support requests to CSAs at most of our events. This lets us provide additional support directly, or pull in more resources if required.

Picture: http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2013/DSC_0024.png
(Matt Pilotte, Electrical Engineering Manager)

I’m hoping we didn’t leave anything visible in these photos that would be a clue to next year’s game. It’s far too early to start the community speculating about that.

Note To Self: Next time, wait until after Championship before mentioning next year’s game.

I’ll blog again soon.

Frank

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I’m hoping we didn’t leave anything visible in these photos that would be a clue to next year’s game.

Well, here’s for another sleepless week…

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I see frisbees! Frisbee game next year!

But seriously,what’s in the box under the table next to the frisbees in the second picture?

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Look like girl scout cookies to me… everyone’s gotta eat!

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I think those are router boxes… not really exciting.

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Did you see that big bucket of water?? :yikes:

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No…please…no more 5 gallon buckets…

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This year isn’t even over they were trying to get into our heads!!

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Looks like there is 9 driver stations…

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Where? I see 6. Standard.

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The alliance wall will be made of brick, and the drivers will look through windows with mini-blinds that can be closed by opposing robots that are programmed to be able to manipulate the mini-blind controls.

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It looks like there are 5 in “front” and 4 in "back to the (stage)right of the guy sitting at the computer.

EDIT: could just be 8 computers as well…

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For the SpaceX internship application, are we supposed to open up our transcripts and scan them to include in the email or is there another way we are supposed to go about getting them a hard copy?

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I don’t, but I do see quite a few water bottles. Looks like they’ve leaked the water game again.

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I honesty cannot believe that I havent seen that joke made until now.

But seriously, I see a red clipboard, so the 2014 game piece is a clipboard, cause anything FIRST colors must bbe a gamepiece.

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I hope I can apply for the internship despite being Mexican.

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It can’t hurt you to apply. If nothing else, you get experience in applying.

However, I think you may want to look up the U.S. government regulations known as International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Your access to various documents and other things may be highly restricted because of those regulations, should you get the internship.

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I see, thank you, I am going to apply anyway. I think I have nothing to lose and maybe a lot to win.