Build a Mars Rover

Learning objectives

July 2020 marks the beginning of the journey for Perseverance, the next Mars rover. Celebrate the launch with this special build challenge. The Perseverance rover is equipped with an extraordinary set of tools including a robotic arm and a rotary percussive drill to collect core samples of Mars rock. Once returned to Earth by a future mission these samples will help us better understand the Red Planet's geology, history, and climate. Your challenge this month is to build your own Mars rover in Minecraft in preparation of the next giant leap, launching astronauts to Mars! What scientific questions would you ask to determine if Mars is safe for humans to land? What's the weather like? Can you grow crops? Was there ever water on the surface? What data will you need to collect to answer these questions?

Extensions

• Learn about the four science objectives of the Perseverance rover and NASA’s Mars Exploration Program.
• View examples of the scientific instruments the rover is equipped with for the mission.
• Try creating a model of the Perseverance rover or Mars Helicopter in Minecraft.
• Find more STEM connections at Moon to Mars.
• Share your work with the community using the hashtags #minecraftedu, #buildchallenge, #CountdownToMars