[PR] Sneek Peek at the Lander Challenge

As many of you are aware, lots of hobbyists have been sparked by the Mars Lander missions in the news.

A consortium of sport rocketry vendors, manufacturers, local sport rocket clubs and sport rocketry enthusiasts have organized a challenge to encourage our rocket hobby enthusiasts to learn more about rocketry and space science.

Phase 1 of Lander Challenge requires a competing team to launch a sport rocket containing a simulated lander, to safely land the lander, and to deploy a rover. The rover must then be remotely navigated to a predetermined spot on the flying field.

Teams are encouraged to use off the shelf hobby, or electronic items in the construction of their rovers and landers, but may chose to custom make anything they wish.

We hope that by sponsoring the Lander Challenge, we encourage our junior, senior, collegiate and even our adult hobby enthusiasts to learn more about rocketry and space science.

More important, it is very fun while learning.

The web site for the Lander Challenge can be seen at

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If you can, go there and look about to see what the Challenge is all about. I think you will see just how fun it can be !

Sign up today, the supporting entities have made sure plenty of wonderful prizes are available for this fun and exciting adventure.

Art Upton K8XG, Inc.

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Reply to
ArtU
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Rockets AND robots!! Could it get any better?

(Well, possibly; my school district is on quarterly schedules; I now have an idea for next quarter's class. Its a little late for this quarter, tho. Something beginning next September might be really neat, hint, hint.)

Absolutely great idea, guys.

Reply to
Gary

our junior,

learn more about

...

this

Great minds think alike:

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February is registration, March is design, April for Qualifying launches, May for the contest launches. Grades 4-9. The goal won't be remote control, though.

More to come this week, as soon as tomorrow's MN Lego League State High School Championship is out of the way.

--tc

Reply to
Ted Cochran

Yes ted they do.

However,

our challenge is for every one, not just kids. Mostly it's for the young and older adults.

Art

Reply to
ArtU

Cool idea, Art! I've sent an email to a few members of my club to see if they'd be interested in participating... A fun little challenge, methinks!

-Kevin

Reply to
Kevin Trojanowski

Missed it by thaaaat much.

I've got 10-12th.

I'll certainly spread the word, though.

Reply to
Gary

that works !

Art

Reply to
ArtU

Art,

If I can swing it, we'll do the Lander Challenge. I'm checking on the chances of involving a voc-ed (film) class to do the video and an industrial arts class for the rover. Make it a real interdisciplinary project. The whole shebang for my science class might be a little much (focus, guys, focus). But, if need be, I could limit the design phase and use some "off-the-shelf" technology. Thinking as I type, sorry.

What I "missed" was Ted's Rocket League grade limits (4th - 9th).

Reply to
Gary

to do the

class might

limit

Thinking as I

9th).

We're going to do a limited pilot this year for some LEGO League high schoolers that want to do the Rocket League program, but we figured the world had enough education-enriching high school rocket programs for now. But if you want to sign up, you are welcome to. For the middle schoolers, the idea is to get the standard build a rocket and fly it exercise enlarged a bit. The typical Mercury Division entry is likely to be a plastic hot wheels car (or a lego model) in a payload bay, but the Gemini and Apollo teams will likely start adding real functionality to fly in BT-80s.

I expect to be wowed. One of the high school lego robot teams tonight had a 2 RCX synchro drive robot; another had invented an entire communications system for the IR channel of two RCXs so they could coordinate functional control.

--tc

Reply to
Ted Cochran

Cool. INSciTE's mission is science and engineering education enrichment; hence the focus.

I don't think there are nearly enough rocket activities in the world; I'm really glad to hear of the Lander Challenge!

--tc

the young and

Reply to
Ted Cochran

Never underestimate the creativity of a teenager.

They don't know it can't be done. So they just do it. :)

Reply to
Gary

Do I get to play Pink Book Lawyer with your rules? Have I got an idea for this :-) Light weight, low cost, and totally violating the spirit of the rules, but no where prohibited by the rules. Just gotta wait for the weather to warm up and the snow to melt...

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Reply to
Bob Kaplow

I hope neither of these impact the TARC event...

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Reply to
Bob Kaplow

What did you have in mind? Using some sort of "biological payload" as the "rover"?

-dave w

Reply to
David Weinshenker

YES , please do !

Sign up and get your forms into us Bob !

Looking forward to see your solution.

Art

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Reply to
ArtU

Woof Woof! All I need to do is duct tape a cat to the target flag :-)

Actually, it also occured to me that using one of those little $10 RC cars as the rover would work if you picked a hard surface for the landing area. I don't think they'd work too well in tall grass.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Reply to
Bob Kaplow

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