Student Rover Heads to NASA

In the news: The story

Read a 111-word news story: Student Robot Takes on NASA Moon Challenge

A group of university students from Northern Ireland will travel to the United States to compete in an international space robotics contest. They designed a special four-wheeled rover that can move across rough ground and dig up soil. The vehicle is completely autonomous, which means it can navigate and make decisions without a human controller. Before making the final machine, the engineers ran a computer simulation to see if the robot could drive around heavy rocks and avoid every obstacle. In the future, machines like this could help astronauts prepare a habitat on the Moon. The young team is excited to test their creation against university teams from around the world.

Vocabulary: Words in the news

6 items

Discussion: First reactions

2 discussion questions

• What do you think is the hardest part about building a robot that can move by itself?
• Would you feel comfortable letting an autonomous machine make big decisions for you?

Discussion: Teamwork and challenges

2 discussion questions

• Have you ever worked in a team to compete in a big project or event? How was the experience?
• When a team meets an unexpected obstacle, what is the best way to handle the pressure?

Discussion: The bigger picture

2 discussion questions

• If space agencies build a permanent habitat on the Moon during your lifetime, would you want to visit it?
• Do you think governments should invest heavily in space exploration, or should they focus mainly on Earth?