The robot completes a number of missions in a sequence, then navigates to the launch site and presses the launch button. The Rocket launches and when it reaches the Mars Outpost, it activates it.
Background
The distance between Earth and Mars varies greatly. They’re closest to one another about every two years. They’re about 55 million km apart at their closest, which provides a convenient launch opportunity. A rocket going to Mars must first reach an escape velocity of over 11 km/s in order to escape the Earth’s gravity and then embark on the journey to Mars, which takes approximately 150 to 300 days.
Come up with a plan!
Think about these questions and answer them in your work book:
- Press the launch button to start the launch sequence and prepare to bring the first crew to explore Mars! Make sure that your Rocket reaches escape velocity.
- Think about ways in which the robot could launch your Rocket to activate the Mars Outpost.
- With your partner, brainstorm ideas for solving this mission.
- Which type of motorised mechanism could be used to press the launch button?
- What are some ways in which the robot could navigate to the the launch site and press the launch button.
- Practice lining up your robot and sending it on the mission to launch the rocket to activate the Mars Outpost.
- Continue working on your robots until you’re ready for a judged attempt.
Mission Troubleshooting
Use the Colour Sensor in Reflected Light Intensity Mode to detect the ‘Earth’ on the Challenge Mat. For consistent results, start by calibrating the Colour Sensor using the black and white lines that are just outside of the base area.
