Outing #25: Engineering Perseverance
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, USA
EXPLORE
On Monday, we explored engineering around the world. Today, we learned about engineers exploring other worlds. Specifically, we visited the engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
The JPL team is working hard to send a new rover to Mars this summer. They named it Perseverance before the pandemic hit, and it is living up to the title. Check out the sweet photos of the JPL team working from home to keep launch on schedule.
To join us on our adventures, start with this short video introducing the Mars 2020 mission and team.Then, check out some of the profiles of the highlighted engineers, scientists, and technicians. I especially love the biographies of Heather Bottom the systems engineer/Rockette and Diana Trujillo who found solace in the stars as a child in war-torn Colombia.
DISCUSS
What are all of the different types of engineers that NASA needs to help send a rover to Mars?
Would you want to work at NASA? If so, what job would you want to play on a NASA mission?
How did the diverse backgrounds of the Perseverance team inspire them to become NASA engineers?
DO
Learn more about Mars rovers using this cool Experience Curiosity interactive from NASA.
Then, play engineer by setting the variables to successfully land a rover on Mars.
Once you have you have landed safely on the surface, try navigating your rover on Martian terrain.
Finally, make your own cardboard rover with educators from JPL.
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