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Huntsville/Alabama, 12.04.2014
translated by Mathilda Drews
That was a competition like none before. The NASA Rover Challenge is not only the former Moonbuggy Race, but also “THE” US-Students-Competition for future extra-terrestrial vehicles in the solar system. The rules became harsher and the requirements higher. Many of the registered teams did not manage the participation. Two teams from Europe also had to stay at home. The best competet over the last two days. Only few vehicles arrived at the finish line with the two racers still on them. The enthusiasm and the excitement of the approximately 80 participanting teams however were not damaged. The weather consisted of radiant sunlight. There were broken wheels, destroyed tires. bended frames, flying chains and lots of sunburns. Now everyone knows where improvement is required.
The ISEI-Teams from Leipzig did well. In the first round, both teams lost the front left of their new foldable fenders. The russian team (Katja Trusheva 13, Vadim Kursonov 18; advised by Evgeniy Zakutin 26; a dipl. engineer who currently lives in Leipzig) which was aided by Leipig drove the course carefully and explored it. The German Team appeared as a college team for the first time. It is already the third time competing for front driver Tobias Meier, who has been around among the participants. He drove the Rover with Mathilda Drews (Leipzig International School); sovereign and with high speed without any driving errors.
Dim lights The course now consists of head-sized limestone boulders, fine rolling pebbles, deep beds of sand and several tons uncompacted gravel. All obstacles that were on it are suitable for the Rovers to finish the drive. For many participants that was the case. But only the bravest could still manage and controll their vehicle.
On today's second race day all participating teams gave their best. There is an excellent small repair and assembling shop in the pit lane. Here, all teams were able to fix any occuring damages on their rovers according to their abilities. This especially requires the ability to improvise. Also the two ISEI teams improvised already since the beginning of the week, as essential buggy pieces had been forgotten in Leipzig. They themselves had to manufacture new pieces on the lather. Also a new fender with the size of 120 square inches had to be made.
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Team Russia significantly improved its race time with out any penalties. Team Germnay had already slightly run out of "air". The nonpneumatic wheels had deformed themselves slightly under the heat of the day and the strain of the driving. This made pedalling more exhausting. But on the other hand the German Rover transmitted a video-live stream through their board-camera. The audio signal was already transmitted topnotch. The video quality still can be worked on: http://new.livestream.com/accounts/7874070. Both teams achieved an assembling time of only seven seconds at the inspection.
The surprise came at the Award ceremony. Ms. Dr. Alotta Taylor from NASA headquarters handed over the numerous awards. Both ISEI-Teams were calculated as the fastest international teams and were presented with the "Jesco von Puttkamer International Tea, Award" and 500$ each.
Team Russia obtained third place in the tough highschool-division and was presented another award by the director of the Marshall Spaceflight Center; Mr. Patrick Scheuermann. Both teams became the media pets of Huntsville: http://blog.al.com/breaking/2014/04/students_from_russia_germany_v.html
NASA Headquarters confirmed the invitation of these teammembers to Washington DC for the comming week. Now everyone is happy.
Studentreports: http://www.spaceeducation.de/de/schuelerberichte.html
Photos of the events: https://www.flickr.com/photos/spaceeducation/collections/72157643356259455/
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Wednesday, 09 April 2014 05:49 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
11 students from Switzerland, Germany, Russia and the USA are entering the NASA Rover Challenge in Huntsville/Alabama in two teams for the International Space Education Institute Leipzig. It was the most complex and difficult to carry through selection of the students since the first participation 8 years ago. The competition (formerly known as the NASA Moonbuggy Race), now includes plenty of new assessments and prepares the younger generations for scientific occupations which will later help them explore our solar system. The center of attention is for the selected students, apprentices and university students with their early practical experiences, open-mindedness, discipline and determination. The constructed vehicle should simulate the challenges for students and their abilities, compared to those of a professional engineer, relatively close to reality. The most difficult challenge for all participants is the ban on pneumatic wheels (i.e. no air cabins are allowed). Many ideas have been issued and tried out. Which one of those will meet the high requirements of the race course is yet to be seen on the 10th-12th of April. The intensive preparations of the European participants in 2 multinational teams took up 9 months with 220 activities in 4 countries. Many of those interested failed on the required discipline and concentration on tasks. Especially the team work, the multilingual interaction, the achievement of the practical experiences and the economical tasks were inescapable focus points. These were supported by many entities and private people, since there are few public budgets for international high-tech-competitions. For one week the participants already have been preparing themselves for the big day in the rocket city Huntsville. They grow together as a team through their work. You are invited to read the reports of the 13 to 20 year olds in three different languages.
Also from Leipzig is the newly introduced NASA-price: “Jesco von Puttkamer International Team Award”. It is given in two performance groups and will earn the participants $500 each.
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-Tobias Meier, Mathilda Drews, Mario Denzler, Martin Hohlweg, Amanda Spencer (Team Germany College) Institutions represented by the participants: Huntsville City Schools: Main sponsors:
Monday, 03 March 2014 01:39 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
There are no translations available. Diese unten genannten Teams aus Europa sind bei der 1. NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge registriert und nach einem 2-monatigen Auswahlprozess bestätigt worden. Allen Teammitgliedern wünschen wir viel Erfolg bei ihrem Wettbewerb am 10.-12. April 2014.
1. Tobias Meier (18) ----------------------------------------------------------------- IGUS-Team 1. Mathilda Drews (17) ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Catherine Trusheva (13) Highschool Team Italy ----------------------------------------------------------------- in cooperation mit Schülern und Lehrern
Tuesday, 18 February 2014 20:39 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
There are no translations available. Leipzig, Huntsville/Alabama, 18.02.2014 Presseeinladung zum Freitag dem 21.2.2014, um 12 Uhr, Halle 2, Stand E13.
Seit der Eröffnung am Samstag bereiten sich die Teilnehmer nun nicht in ihren Werkstätten, sondern auf der Leipziger Messe vor den Augen der Besucher vor. Es wird geschraubt, gebaut, konstruiert und gebaut. Durch die geballte Konzentration der verschiedendsten Gewerke, deren Fachleute und Hersteller konnte eine einfache Idee für äußerst strapazierfähige luftdrucklose Räder zünden. Binnen zweier Tage konnte am Montag und Dienstag die Idee vor den Augen der Messegäste in einen vielversprechenden Prototypen umgesetzt werden. Zuweilen bildeten sich Staus in den Gängen um den Workshop. In den nächsten 2 Tagen wird diese Konstruktion verfeinert, eine Montagevorrrichtung gebaut und auf 4 Räder dupliziert. Am Freitag dem 21.2.2014 findet um 12 Uhr eine Premiere Testfahrt mit den ersten in Leipzig hergestellten Non-Pneumatic-Rädern statt. Die Räder werden dann auf einem originalen NASA-Rover montiert sein. Es werden alle Pressevertreter und Interessenten eingeladen: Halle 2, Stand E13.
- ea4tech GbR - technischer Lehrmittelhersteller, Leipzig
Sunday, 09 February 2014 21:26 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
There are no translations available.
Eingeladen sind alle Handwerksunternehmen mit Herz für Nadchwuchs und Nachwuchsförderung. Das hier ausgestellte Projekt ist ein Kozept für eine bundesweite technische Arbeitsgemeinschaft an Schulen. Mit einem Basisbausatz für 10-18-jährige sollen die motorischen Fähigkeiten, die Lernfreude, das Handwerk und die begeisterung für technische Berufe nachhaltig geprägt werden. Technisches (Halle 2, Stand E13)
Natürlich wollen wir Ihr Unternehmen präsentieren. Hierfür steht eine 3-Meter-Wand zur gemeinschaftlichen Darstellung Verfügung. Wir bauen am Donnerstag dem 13.2. auf. Wir bitten um umgehende Zusage und Zusendung Ihrer Logos bis Mittwoch Mittag!ÂÂ Der Stand ist durchgehend besetzt mit Schülern im Raumanzug. Es werden vor Ort Minibuggys (eine 1:20-Version des Moonbuggys) wie in einer Schauwerkstatt gefertigt. Kontakt: Ralf Heckel, International Space Education Institute, 0172-7949375 |
