Davis Creek Elementary
October 14th 2003
 These Davis Creek Elementary 5th grade students are working with the LEGO Dacta Simple Motorized Machine Set to build their part to the "DC Mars Express Mission".  This challenge team's assignment was to solve the problem of a supply of water on the surface of Mars.
Another LEGO project is the 2003-04 FIRST LEGO League Mars Mission Challenge.  It will take many hours of planning, building, programming, and collaborating to complete this project.
A third LEGO Project is the SENSORS CITY at Marshall University.  The project is available over the Internet for anyone to drive.
DC Mars Express Mission Water Challenge
This is SENSORS CITY at Marshall University, connected via the Internet
This machine will crush rocks on Mars to release the water needed for habitation
Driving on DC Mars Red Rover and/or SENSORS CITY at Marshall University is fun, but perilous!
Everybody is getting ready for Mars. Lots of things have to be built in order to survive
to the Mars atmosphere. Water can be gathered from the thick Mars ice.
This ice can be crushed using the LEGO designed device.
View of the new location for SENSORS CITY
Photograph from Mars Soujourner Mission
Mrs. Simon driving SENSORS CITY
View of SENSORS CITY
Sending a mission from ROBOLAB software program to a robotic model at SENSORS CITY
An orange mission for Halloween
Mrs. Simon discussing building strategies with the water team
Using saran wrap to form a water tight seal
As well as water, oxygen is a valuable element in the Mars excursion.
It must be kept safe by means of a specially designed plastic enclosure.
The water model crushing rocks under the seal
Tyco Brahe's picture & information in the background as Water Challenge model is built
DC Mars Buggy approaches the housing cluster on the 2003-2004 Mars Mission FLL Challenge
How can we move these housing units onto the correct places on the field?
All these devices will help us to complete our exploration missions in Mars.
A LEGOCAD, another LEGO software program, model built virtually after the students actually built their model physically
Another student trying his hand at crushing rocks and getting water
Finally, I got the programming just right!
Showing another 5th grade student
LEGO Links of Linda Hamilton hamilton@marshall.edu
  • Webpages and pictures on http://www.marshall.edu/LEGO
  • Web camera on http://legocamera.marshall.edu
  • NASA site of Remote Sensing on http://SENSORSCITY.marshall.edu
  • Teleoperate LEGO CITY at http://lego.marshall.edu
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    9 students
    October 14, 2003
    S. Simon (ssimon@access.k12.wv.us)