Twin Rovers going to Mars...hmmm

Posted by Anton Abaya at 2/14/2001 7:15 AM EST

Coach on team #419, Rambots, from UMass Boston / BC High and NONE AT THE MOMENT! :(.

I know this is old news but…anyone as curious as me?

The current plan they say is for the rovers to touchdown on Jan 20th…hmm, 2004 FIRST season would be in its 2nd week :)…

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mep/missions/announce2.html

So here we are again, sending more rovers to Mars. I wonder if NASA will show the bots to us before they send it. I’d love to see em up close and maybe stick some bubblegum underneath and send it to Mars (yes, i’m kidding).

Anybody have NASA contacts? I’m sure all the kids involved with FIRST would love to see these bots (in action?) up close.

-anton
“Isnt it such a guy thing to send people to the moon just to drive around?” – Jerry Seinfeld

Posted by Matt Leese at 2/14/2001 11:41 AM EST

Other on team #73, Tigerbolt, from Edison Technical HS and Alstom & Fiber Technologies & RIT.

In Reply to: Twin Rovers going to Mars…hmmm
Posted by Anton Abaya on 2/14/2001 7:15 AM EST:

As far as contacts go I know a Machnisit at
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, does that count? I
also met Dan Goldin at Nationals last year (ick, what a
PR event). But seriously, NASA loves FIRST and I’m
sure they’ve already thought of something like this BUT
I doubt it will ever happen. The rovers will need to
be built in more or less a clean room environment to
prevent contamination and moving them out in the open
probably would not be a good idea. Plus, I wouldn’t be
suprised if the Basic Stamp 2X is a more powerful
processor than what those rovers will have on board…

Matt

Posted by Jeff at 2/15/2001 11:11 PM EST

Student on team #419, RAMBOTS, from Boston College High School and Don’t think we actually have a sponsor.

In Reply to: Re: Twin Rovers going to Mars…hmmm
Posted by Matt Leese on 2/14/2001 11:41 AM EST:

I don’t know anton. My cousin works at NASA in Houston. Maybe I could ask him. Hey you’ll never know until you try.

: As far as contacts go I know a Machnisit at
: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, does that count? I
: also met Dan Goldin at Nationals last year (ick, what a
: PR event). But seriously, NASA loves FIRST and I’m
: sure they’ve already thought of something like this BUT
: I doubt it will ever happen. The rovers will need to
: be built in more or less a clean room environment to
: prevent contamination and moving them out in the open
: probably would not be a good idea. Plus, I wouldn’t be
: suprised if the Basic Stamp 2X is a more powerful
: processor than what those rovers will have on board…

: Matt