One of the items included in the physical EXPLORE mission toolkit is a Raspberry Rover that works in a similar way to the Mars rover. Built on NASA’s rocker-bogie system, it can traverse rocky or sandy terrain, and carries a camera and sensors.
The rover can be used in multiple ways inside the classroom–and outside, starting with the complex assembly and disassembly procedures. Students will be able to acquire the fundamental concepts of programming, and also “see” the world around them through the rover sensors.
One of these rovers will be used by the EXPLORE students during their analog mission, performing tasks similar to those conducted by rovers on extraterrestrial surfaces. This directly connects their classroom learning to real-world and space applications, providing hands-on experience and making complex ideas accessible and engaging.
This rover is just one example of how the EXPLORE project provides educators with innovative tools to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. As Angelika, one of the students who will be on the first mission, says: “Joining the EXPLORE project feels like stepping into the future of learning.”
