A note to teachers…
Activity Description
In this activity your pupils will learn more about the Curiosity Mars rover and apply that
knowledge to think about, plan or design their own Mars rover.
The presentation is designed to be teacher-led, with opportunities for group discussion and/or
individual work. The presentation contains a mix of technical facts about Curiosity, along with
linked YouTube videos showcasing some of the scientists and engineers who are working on
the mission.
Learning Objectives
• To consider the various parts of a Mars rover and the tasks they need to be able to
perform.
• To work in groups or individually to design a future Mars rover.
Learning Outcomes
• A description, report, poster, presentation, plan or model of a Mars rover.
Please note…
Before you begin this activity, we recommend you familiarise yourself with it. This presentation
contains differentiated elements for both KS2 and KS3 pupils. You are free to remove parts,
edit or add to this presentation as you see fit, to tailor it to your class.
We hope your class finds this activity interesting and useful. Should you have any feedback,
please do not hesitate to send it to us. Thanks!
- The Jodrell Bank education team
Mars Rover
Challenge
After-workshop
activity
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
What you did...
In the Mars Rover Challenge workshop you built
your own device to safely land your “rover” onto the
surface of Mars.
Here’s an animation of the real nail-biting landing of the
Curiosity rover in August 2012, mixed with real shots from
the NASA control room.
You must be connected to the internet for this video to play. If it is still not playing, click the link below or copy &
paste the address into your web browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9hXqzkH7YA
What we are going to do now...
• In this activity, we’re going to learn more about the
different parts of the Curiosity Mars rover and what
they do.
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
How we are going to do it...
• Either discussing in groups or working individually,
you are going to think about the different parts of
the Curiosity Mars Rover.
• As we go, you’ll be asked to plan your own Mars
rover mission. You may want to write your ideas
down, construct a poster, or even draw and
design the different parts of your rover!
Starter task
Come up with a list of...
All the things a Mars rover needs to be able to do.
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Here are some of the things you could have come up
with (but you may have some more!)
A Mars rover must be able to...
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Move
Take pictures
Test samples of rock
Power itself
Keep itself warm
Work in lots of dust
Drive over bumpy terrain
Receive commands or decide what to do
Send findings to scientists on Earth
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
In order to do these things a rover must have…
•
•
•
•
A body (a structure that protects the rovers´ various parts)
Propulsion (a way to move around)
Brains (a computer to process information)
Eyes and other senses (cameras and instruments that give
the rover information about its surroundings)
• An energy supply (a power source and batteries)
• Communications equipment (a way to “speak” and “listen”
to people on Earth)
We’ll look at each of these parts in turn!
Part 1: The body
Questions we will consider in this section...
How big will your rover be?
What will the body be like on your rover? Why?
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Some Curiosity size facts…
• Length: 3 metres
• Width: 2.7 metres
• Height: 2.2 metres
• Mass: 899 kilograms
• Curiosity is the largest
robot we have ever sent
to Mars!
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Can you think of any advantages and
disadvantages of having a large rover?
Here are some you might have come up
with (but you may have some more…)
Advantages
• Can travel more
• Easier to drive over
rocks and sand
• Can have more
science instruments
Disadvantages
• Needs more power
• More expensive
• More difficult to launch
and land
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
About Curiosity’s body…
• Curiosity’s body is a hard,
insulated cover which
protects its sensitive
equipment and computer
from the Martian dust and
cold.
• It’s body is high off the
ground so it doesn’t get stuck
on any rocks.
• Some instruments stick out
of the body, such as the
camera and arm, so they can
collect information.
Think and discuss…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
• How big will your rover be?
• What will the body be like on your
rover? Why?
Part 2: Propulsion
Question we will consider in this section...
How will your rover move around Mars?
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
About Curiosity’s propulsion…
• Curiosity drives on six wheels. Each wheel has its own motor,
so if one breaks, the others can still work.
• The wheels have grooves, like shoes do, so Curiosity can
grip on the dusty surface.
• Curiosity has a suspension system. This means if one side
goes up (e.g. over a rock), the other side will automatically
go down, to spread the
weight out. Otherwise
Curiosity might topple over!
• Curiosity has a top speed of
about 4 centimetres per
second. Is that faster or
slower than you expected?
Image credit:
NASA Dryden/Tom Tschida
But rovers don’t have to have wheels! Here’s an idea for
rovers that might be blown around Mars in the future!
You must be connected to the internet for this video to play. If it is still not playing, click the link below or copy &
paste the address into your web browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JQyPKLCYPQ
Think and discuss…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
• How will your rover move around Mars?
Part 3: Brains
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Question we will consider in this section...
How will you make sure your rover’s computer stays
safe and stays working?
About Curiosity’s computer…
• Curiosity’s “brains” aren’t in its head – they’re in it’s body,
where they are protected.
• Curiosity’s computer is shielded from the high radiation that’s
on Mars. Ordinary computers would break.
• The Curiosity rover has only 2.25 GB of memory (RAM).
That’s much less than laptops you can buy in the shops!
• Curiosity has a backup computer,
in case the first one fails.
About Curiosity’s computer…
• Curiosity’s computer is vital.
• It is needed to control all of its functions, such as…
o Checking Curiosity’s systems, to make sure they are working properly
o Recording data and transmitting it correctly
o Interpreting commands from scientists on Earth
o Curiosity also has an “AutoNav” feature, which allows it to
calculate the best route to a location and then drive there
automatically.
This video explains more about how Curiosity’s computer
is needed for it to drive around Mars…
You must be connected to the internet for this video to play. If it is still not playing, click the link below or copy &
paste the address into your web browser: http://youtu.be/_hN4XdS7NMY
Think and discuss…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/
Cornell Univ./
Arizona State Univ.
• How will you make sure your rover’s
computer stays safe and stays working?
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Part 4: Eyes and other senses
Question we will consider in this section...
What will your rover be trying to find out?
What equipment will it have to find this out?
About Curiosity’s mission…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
• Curiosity is investigating the rocks and sand on Mars, to see what Mars
is made of. This will also give us clues about what Mars used to be like in
the past.
• In order to do this, Curiosity has many instruments such as…
o Lots of cameras to look at the rocks and sand
o A laser to burn rocks, to see what they’re made of
o A drill and scoop, to pick up samples and test them inside Curiosity
In October 2012, Curiosity started scooping up samples and testing
them for the first time. NASA scientist Betina Pavri tells us more…
You must be connected to the internet for this video to play. If it is still not playing, click the link below or copy &
paste the address into your web browser: http://youtu.be/neUJ5y4hrkE
Think and discuss…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
• What will your rover be trying to find out?
• What equipment will it have to find this out?
Part 5: Power
Question we will consider in this section...
What will power your rover?
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
About Curiosity’s power…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
• Space missions cannot use petrol, or any other fuel that
burns. Can you think why not?
• Previous Mars rovers (such as Spirit and Opportunity in
2004) have used solar panels. These collect energy from
sunlight and change it into electricity.
• Solar panels are lightweight and renewable (the energy
supply does not run out) but they don’t produce much power.
About Curiosity’s power…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
• Unfortunately, Mars is very dusty. This dust can cover solar
panels, stopping them from working as well.
• Also, Curiosity is much larger than Spirit or Opportunity, so it
needs much more power.
• Instead of solar panels, Curiosity is powered by a small
nuclear reactor, which generates heat and electricity.
About Curiosity’s power…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
• Using nuclear power is much heavier than using solar panels.
• Also, nuclear power is dangerous to humans, so you have to
be careful before launch.
• Finally, Curiosity’s nuclear fuel will eventually run out after a
few years.
Here’s NASA scientist Ashwin Vasavada telling us more about
Curiosity’s power source…
You must be connected to the internet for this video to play. If it is still not playing, click the link below or copy &
paste the address into your web browser: http://youtu.be/fBtXnug-rgM
Think and discuss…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
• What will power your rover?
• Why have you chosen this power source?
Final Part: Communications
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Question we will consider in this section...
How will your rover communicate with Earth?
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
About Curiosity’s communications…
• Did you know, because Mars is so far away from Earth, it
takes about 5 minutes for a signal to travel between them?
• Curiosity has three antennas which can send and receive
signals (two are shown on this picture).
• Having three antennas means there are back-ups in case
one or two break.
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
About Curiosity’s communications…
• The first antenna is an Ultra-High-Frequency antenna. This
doesn’t transmit directly to Earth, but to two satellites that are
in orbit around Mars. These satellites act as a ‘go-between’
between Curiosity and Earth. Since the satellites are in
space, they can send signals to Earth for longer and at a
faster rate than Curiosity can.
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
About Curiosity’s communications…
• Curiosity’s second antenna is a high-gain antenna which can
be pointed to send signals directly at Earth. It is so accurate,
it can be aimed at any antenna at Earth!
• Using an antenna that can move means Curiosity doesn’t
have to turn its whole body around to point at Earth!
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
About Curiosity’s communications…
• Curiosity’s final antenna is a low-gain antenna. This works no
matter which way it is pointing and is strong enough to send
signals that can be picked up on Earth.
• Unfortunately, it can only transmit data at a very low rate.
NASA uses this dish
in California and
others like it to
communicate with
Curiosity and other
spacecraft!
But no matter how strong your antennae are, if the Sun gets in
the way, it’s impossible to communicate with Mars!
You must be connected to the internet for this video to play. If it is still not playing, click the link below or copy &
paste the address into your web browser: http://youtu.be/TZw74PKoajU
Think and discuss…
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech
• How will your rover communicate with Earth?
You have now finished planning your rover mission to Mars!
Well done!  How long do you think
your rover would last on Mars?
Click onto the next slide to see how
Curiosity was doing after 1 Mars year…
This activity has been
made by Jodrell Bank,
with information from
NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory website.
Visit their site for loads
more about Curiosity!
mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/
Image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
On 23rd June 2014, Curiosity had been on Mars for 687 days. That’s
one full Martian year! Here’s an overview of its first Mars year…
You must be connected to the internet for this video to play. If it is still not playing, click the link below or copy &
paste the address into your web browser: http://youtu.be/SSf1HenQhWs