| Events - Competitions |
Der 1. Renntag
Ralf Heckel
Reports of the Rovernauts (link)
Everything is ready. The Rover is already in the paddock. It has been tested and retested for a year. Nothing can go wrong anymore. The pavilion is set up and chic. The team has lined up for a safety meeting. There are over 1000 pupils and students there. The mood is exuberant. There was even a dinner at the Davidson Center under the huge Saturn V moon rocket. The morning of the 1st race day begins with sunshine. Our two pilots draw a wide and relaxed smile on their pretty faces. So everything is perfect, one would think - but not today and not with us!
Even in the early morning, no vehicle on the course remained intact. Not a single rover made it to the finish line by 9 a.m. Our team felt safe and did a short training session on the grass next to the paddock. Then the mistake witch struck and they hadn't put their broom in the corner all day. An epoxy glue on the front axle drive came loose and the front axle spun without the wheels moving. Such a sh…t!
They quickly went straight to the workshop. Now the girls and boys learn how to pull themselves out of the cocoa on 3 hairs shortly before the start date. I resorted to a lesson with students in the Department of Strength of Materials at the Moscow Aviation Institute, years ago. If you want to connect carbon fibre composite and metal firmly, you need many small enclosed rivets. Luckily, the pit crew had small spring pins and an assortment of thin drills. And so not only the damaged area was processed, but all glued areas of this kind. It succeeded. Cosma took over the work after the first part and the team was then able to start the inspection even 15 minutes earlier.
The inspection or MRR (Mission Readiness Review) went easily. Our pilots mastered all tasks confidently. After measuring the rover without complaint, they folded it up and carried it 20 ft. It was then weighed. 85 kilograms. Then it was unfolded, after timekeeping, 8.9 seconds. That was the fastest time of the day. Wow! Then they were off to the starting line.
The queue at the start was already long and that dragged on. Many teams did not get off the ground after the start signal, or were already pushing after the 1st obstacle. I spread out all the members and fathers with cameras on the course and we waited eagerly for the announcement: "Team number 254, ready to go!"
Start! As if struck by lightning, Cosma and Hazel shot away, both again with a big smile on their faces. Startled, the spectators jumped to the side and were amazed at "WOW!". The first 3 obstacles were like butter. Cosma simply left them behind. Jesco is already running alongside with his video camera and looking for a new film slot. Now comes an obstacle that has it all, a slope. Many teams discard this obstacle or slide sideways into the straw bales. That gives penalty points. Cosma approaches them sideways in an arc. No problem.
Now comes a long stretch. Made of gravel. It lies only thin and uncompacted on the ground softened by the storms. You can tell that this saps energy. At the end there is a man-high mountain. They have to get over it. It almost works. Just before the ridge, the rover stops, shifted too late. But actually no problem. In 1st gear, you can easily get over it with this Rover. Cosma and Hazel shift down and press their feet into the pedals at the same time. Now there are about 300 Newton meters on the front axle. This is the torque on the crankshaft of a truck diesel. The chains and differential gear hold. But now the witch strikes a second time. With a loud bang, the CFRP drive in the front axle says goodbye. Both pedals spin. Dung!
But Cosma reacts immediately, lets the rover roll backwards down the slope and gives Hazel instructions. The moon mission is now becoming a rescue mission. Both have only a time window of 8 minutes and after that the "oxygen is used up". So both have to get the rover into the finish line somehow. This is the only way to earn points for a successful return. Hazel dismounts and pushes. Cosma steers. Our boys dash along with their cameras. Exactly! Only in this way can there be a continuation.
Completely exhausted and with the last of her strength, Hazel brings the rover Ophelia to the finish line with Cosma on the steering arms. Both are now really a team and despite everything overjoyed. There is water.
During the first observation of the damage, it is noticeable that a part is missing. It is the spline shaft hub. Just the part that was glued on and is now off. The CFRP shaft is completely split and can no longer be used under any circumstances. But if you want to save something here, we need this wedge hub. It is a metric part that you can't buy here in the USA or can only be made with a lot of effort. I send Jesco and Leander back to the mountain to look for the walnut-sized part. The two actually found it between the gravel, great!
Well, a relaxed day doesn't come to anything for the time being. Crisis meeting. You need 2 suitable pipes to replace the CFRP pipe, a turnery- and a welding machine. Cosma and Hazel immediately set off on the trail and search in scrapboxes for a suitable steel pipe. I, on the other hand, show the boys how to remove the differential gear and the drivetrains. The weather becomes inhospitable, windy, rainy and cold. But that doesn't matter. The two lie on their backs under the rover and dismantle.
When the gearbox was removed and the drives disassembled, the girls came back and had actually found something suitable. Perfect! Meeting and off to the pit area. Cosma manages all of this with a spin. I then weld and grind the finished parts and the result looks good! Jesco and Leander reinstall everything. Everyone is proud.
In the meantime, the place has become empty. Only a few teams are left. We're done, but we have to do another test drive. Cosma and Leander are supposed to put a lot of strain on the rover. They do so and the witch strikes again – today for the 3rd time. A press fit in the drive comes loose. Something like that can't really happen. We shrunk this X-fit ourselves with the students, with heat and dry ice. Something like this can never work out, but it does. It is so. The surprises do not stop.
I reassure the team. "No problem, then we'll get up an hour earlier tomorrow and weld it. I can do that without everything having to be removed again. Takes only 10 minutes.
Felix Schlang sends a message: "Test, fail, fix, repeat!" And that's exactly what it is, this is a trip that, despite 18 years of experience, always produces something new. Tomorrow is a 2nd attempt.
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Thursday, 10 April 2025 05:30 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
NEW: ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher expressed his respect and interest in the team and their idea to create such a competition in Europe by email on 7.4.2025. Negotiations are already underway. Reports of the Rovernauts (link)
Finally, they are going on their way to the USA again. Feelings are mixed, much has changed in world politics. If you think back during the flight across the Atlantic, then all the signs suddenly fit together. As the leader of an international team, you have felt disadvantaged and excluded since the summer of 2017. Now it fits. It was DT's first year in office. Since then, this competition has not been as fun as before - and it has been steadily losing educational quality and creative joy since then. While teamwork and cooperation were promoted as core values of NASA until 2017, more and more rules have crept in since then to prevent exactly this from happening to international teams. This also lost the cohesion and willingness to cooperate, as other educational institutions naturally did not have the insight into the inner workings at NASA that von Puttkamer once showed me.
I have tried to keep this away from the students, but this year I have been open with them, a fact that is not easy. This new approach is already clearly measurable in the immensely increased effort to inspire and win over team members. In the meantime, it is not so much the students who turn out to be unsuitable, but above all parents and schools who think they have to know everything better. Thin-skinned is that. In spite of everything, tearing down bridges – no, not with me. We build bridges and maintain them as best we can.
But the living here in the USA, which now appears so different to the outside world, continues to take its usual course. The people of Alabama are courteous, friendly and relaxed, as always. Every now and then you talk casually and dismissively about "some bangers you had to experience", laugh again and move on. Or you avoid the conversation altogether.
So we arrive at Huntsville Airport at night after a 24-hour journey in sultry warmth, are welcomed by NASA engineer Terry, get our rental car and fall into bed dead tired after a 20-minute drive. There was thunderstorm all night and that didn't stop much until Monday night.
We started with a minimum of 2 students and still have 11-year-old Jesco with us. Although he does not have the required age of at least 14 years, he can be considered a full-fledged team member thanks to his technical experience and practice. He is simply needed, as you can read from his reports.
During the preparation for this race, I tried to rely on our international relations as well. Before the pandemic, I traveled around the world several times as the one who had opened the door to NASA for international educational institutions together with Prof. von Puttkamer. But the 1st and now 2nd term of office of DT are already showing significant damage, also in the regulations for this competition, which resonates with the desire for a new own and, above all, fair competition for all teams in Europe. It's my 18th participation and this is the 26th team after 46 rovers built with students. So it's not that we're inexperienced.
Nevertheless, the integration of a comrade-in-arms from Brazil ultimately failed because of her parents, who do not have this international experience and are obsessed with fear. But the involvement of Hazel, an 18-year-old student from Washington DC, worked. She attends McKinley Technical High School as our long-standing educational partner in the USA and wants to become an engineer. Her father works for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
We only met Hazel here in Alabama, on Monday. But that happened quickly, that's what young people are known for. The two girls, Cosma and Hazel, are the same age and get along at least as well as I do with their father. And so, for the 18th time in a row, an adventure begins that has long since determined our lives over 3 decades, produced many excellent young people and yet is not spared from all unthinkable ups and downs. Cosma fell flat into bed with food poisoning on Tuesday, Hazel struggled with a migraine on Wednesday. Somehow it feels like the last participation for the first time, but that can only be a feeling.
We have been fighting here for 18 years and now once again "Against All Odds".
Tomorrow, NASA will open the gates of the NASA Rover Challenge for the 31st time. We will set up our pit lane at 12 o'clock, because a thunderstorm is forecast for the afternoon. Then there will be a VIP dinner for all teams under the hanging moon rocket Saturn V. The race will then take place on Friday and Saturday, which will also be broadcast live on Youtube. The award ceremony will take place on Saturday evening, April 12, i.e. Space Day with the 64th anniversary of the Gagarin launch.
Let's keep our fingers crossed for the team!
Live broadcasts:
Activity report Rovernauts on HERC 2025 (US trip)
Saturday, 5.4.25, outbound journey (24h)
Sunday, 6.4.25, Preparation
Monday, 7.4.25, assembly of the moonbuggy
Tuesday, 8.4.25, Completion of the Moonbuggy & Photos
Wednesday, 9.4.2025. Excursions & photo sessions, media work
Thursday 10.04.2025, Set-up of the pit lane
NASA-Event-Schedule
Sonntag, 13.04.2025, disassembly
Friday, 04 April 2025 20:47 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
20 Years of the International Space Education Institute
April 2nd, 2025 Leipzig/Huntsville, Alabama (ISEI) Cosma Heckel is the pilot of the Rovernauts, preparing herself and her team for the NASA Rover Challenge on April 12th, 2025, and is now 18 years young. Her team includes Leander (15) from Grimma, Luiza (18) from Rio de Janeiro, Hazel (18) from Washington, DC, and the young engineer Jesco (11) from Leipzig. Never before has a team represented so much multinationality. Boundaries are blurring.
On April 5th, she will fly to the USA for the last time as a competition participant. She wants to be the first all-girl team on the rover, at least for a complete run. This was a last wish from Jesco von Puttkamer. After that, there are exams, studies, and careers. But what's next?
In 20 years, ISEI produced over 3000 press articles in total 30 countries, 500 TV reports and has an archive of around 300,000 photos documenting this extraordinary work.
Sunday, 02 June 2024 03:34 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
There are no translations available. TV-Reports Foto-Archiv Blog (is in process)
Die damalige Pilotin Firine fuhr den Rover im Alter von 14 Jahren und besuchte ein Jahr zuvor das US-Space Camp, den SpaceX Start des Teleskopes TESS und mit ihrem Team die Embry Riddle University in Daytona, Florida. Heute ist Firine Bugenhagen 19 Jahre alt, studiert im 6. Semester Luft- und Raumfahrt an der TU-Delft und wird ab August dieses Jahres an die Embry Riddle University delegiert. Das ist dann bereits unsere 3. Studentin an dieser Eliteschule, aus der Astronauten und Raumfahrtingenieure hervorgehen. Wie man damit sieht, sind unsere Mitgliedschaft, die Ausbildung und Wettbewerbe nachhaltig und eine gute Vorbereitung für jene die weiterwollen. Das ist auch kein Wunder, denn wir wenden die Empfehlungen vom Prof. Dr. Jesco von Puttkamer an. Ungeplant kam die Pandemie mit dem Reisebann und der Krieg Russlands gegen friedliebende Menschen und die freie Welt dazwischen. Das mühsam aufgebaute immer überlegene multinationale Netz der Brücken zwischen den Nationen und Generationen hängt seitdem auf einer Seite empfindlich in der Luft. Nur schrittweise wird dieses Loch mit Asien, seinen Partnern, seinen Kontakten und Schülern ausgefüllt. Aber auch der Verlust der beständigen gemeinsamen Zusammenarbeit vor Ort führte zu einem Loch der Nachfolgegeneration bei unseren jüngeren Mitgliedern. Virtuelle Unterrichtseinheiten können Praxis, Hands-On und Face-To-Face nicht ersetzen. Die Rovernauts hatten es also während der Pandemie überhaupt nicht leicht. Es wurde mit Mindestbesetzung CAD gelernt, 3D-Druck und die Werkstatt ausgebaut, also das Feuer brennen gelassen. Aber zu einem Mitgliederzuwachs unter der jungen Generation führte das wegen des komplexer gewordenen Schulalltages nicht. Das Sommercamp 2023 war zwar intensiv und es kamen auch einige Schüler aus der Ferne, aber schnell wurde klar, dass das Homeschooling den Nachwuchs von der Praxis entfremdete. Es wurde absehbar, dass sich kein Team für die Konstruktionsanforderungen eins Rovers bilden konnte. Ersatzweise wurde dann 3D-Druck, Modellbau und die Erweiterung der Werkstatt mit Holzbau vermittelt. Das schuf dann eine gute logistische Basis, aber die Gruppe zerstreute sich im ausgehenden Sommer wegen der Entfernungen innerhalb Deutschlands wieder. Erst auf den letzten Pfiff und mit einem Aufruf in Presse und TV gelang es der Teamleiterin Cosma Heckel (heute 17 und zum letzten Rennen nur 12 Jahre jung) noch ein Team mit 2 weiteren Teilnehmern ihrer Berufsschule zusammen zu schweißen. Das passierte erst im Januar 2024, also bereits 6 Monate nachdem andere Teams bereits mit schriftlichen Arbeiten Punkte bei NASA sammelten und fleißig konstruierten. Wegen der beständig fortgeführten Weiterentwicklung zur Pandemie konnte das neue Team Rovernauts 2024 in den Winterferien schnell an Fahrt aufnehmen. Unterstützend standen schnell wieder die Unternehmen Dreherei Günter Jakob, Metallverarbeitung HOLL, Sattlerei Kübler, Sandstrahlerei Doerffer und die Firma Althaus Galvanik und Pulverbeschichtungen dahinter. Vor allem aber gewann das Team schnell Aufwind durch die Unterstützung der Handwerkskammer zu Leipzig und deren Einladung zur Mitteldeutschen Handwerksmesse Leipzig. Hier konnten Besucher begeistert und weitere Mitglieder der jüngeren Generation gewonnen werden. Eine richtige CAD- und Produktionsstraße wurde vor den 50.000 staunenden Messebesuchern betrieben und es konnte mitgemacht und mitgefahren werden. Binnen 10 Wochen konnte im Rekordtempo ein komplett neuer Rover in der seit Sommer 2923 neuen Werkstatt geschaffen werden. Hier half der immense 17-jährige Erfahrungsschatz des Vereines mit 45 gebauten und modifizierten Fahrzeugen genauso wie der erstarkende Erfolgswille des Teams. 2 Ferien gingen komplett drauf. Obwohl das Team bei den schriftlichen Vorbewertungen noch gar nicht mitmachen konnte, entschied man sich für die Fahrt zum Wettbewerb trotz des damit schlechten Scores von 35%. Am Tag der Raumfahrt, also dem 12. April 2024, ging es dann in den Flieger und ein Abenteuer mit 18.000 Flug- und 5.000 Fahr-Kilometern begann. Alle Ereignisse hielten die Teammitglieder in Berichten, Reels und mit Videos fest. Eine Linkliste gibt es oben und unten. Hier sind die Fakten: Die Teammitglieder Frederik Fichtner (17), betreut durch die Jesco von Puttkamer Schule seit 3 Monaten Co-Pilot, Multitool-Bediener, Fachabiturient, Karl-Heine-Schule Heidi Claus (18), betreut durch die Jesco von Puttkamer Schule seit 3 Monaten Fachabiturient, Karl-Heine-Schule, Technikerin, Trainerin Jesco Heckel (10), betreut durch die Jesco von Puttkamer Schule seit 6 Jahren, Grundschüler, 74. Grundschule - dann Gymnasium an der Quartiersschule Ihmelstraße, Techniker, Kameramann, erfahren in CAD und Technik mit Betreuung durch eine Tesla-Ingenieurin Weiblicher Rover namens OPHELIA Technische Daten des Rovers Änderungen seit 2019 Ergebnisse der Rovernauts unter 70 Teams Rovernauts das Team der Herzen Wie lief das Rennen? Das 2. Rennen war ein Gänsehaut-Event. Die beiden durchfuhren den schweren Kurs absolut souverän und perfekt, ohne Fehler und sammelten bei den Aufgaben alle Punkte. Sie trafen mit einem Zeitvorsprung von 3 Minuten! Im Ziel ein. Kein Team war schneller. Teams mit Null Fehlern und 100% Punkten waren 3 Minuten langsamer. Alle Teams und alle Rennställe waren fassungslos und interessierten sich ab diesem Moment für den Rover „Ophelia“ und die beiden Piloten. Zur Belohnung ging es auf NASA-Tour und zum Starship von SpaceX
Friday, 10 November 2023 11:44 | Written by Ralf Heckel |
Blog | Fotogallery | Videochannel | Instagram | Facebook
Arthur speaks about his experiences with us and NASA in schools, universities, conferences, symposiums and also at a cadet college of the Indian Army. The main focus is on the future in space, jobs and career opportunities. He presents these together with his own experiences from the launch of NASA's moon rocket ARTEMIS 1. He explains the individual phases of a launch and flight to the moon using a self-built model (1:87) of the SLS moon rocket. The young and mature audience is always enthusiastic. An overwiev in Fotos. At many appearances he is supported by 16-year-old Cosma Heckel, who is then connected via video conference.
The first four weeks seemed much longer to Arthur, "because you experience so much in a short time here." He receives support from his mentor and teacher Navdeep Singh from the World Space Council India. The International Space Education Institute has built up this partnership over the years and supports the current transformation of over 30 countries into space nations with human capital through world trips for schoolchildren and students.
Arthur is also a member of the International Space Education Institute's 2024 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge accepted team called the Rovernauts. This team has a successful history of 16 years as the first international participant with 3 world championship titles and 44 lunar car-like vehicles in various variations.
As an ambassador for the NASA Artemis Generation, Arthur supports the agency's efforts to promote more science among young people under the name "STEM Engagement".
The world tour, a social year for graduating students, is available to members of the International Space Education Institute to gain global life experiences. This not only creates unforgettable experiences for life, but above all builds bridges across supposed boundaries and gives other students a unifying career vision for the future.
Arthur Sommer from International Space Education Institute, Germany reached Indri Indri, 7 November (Nis) Space science is a wonderful field full of possibilities. It contains the lives of many astronauts and their stories of going to space, ranging from failures to successes. These words were said by Navdeep Singh, President of the World Space Council and Arthur Sommer, member of the International Space Education Institute, Germany. He was addressing as the keynote speaker in a lecture organized on the topic of opportunities in space science under the joint aegis of Employment Cell, Physics Department and Chemistry Department at Shaheed Udham Singh Government College located in village Matak Majri. PICTURE: He taught students about space rocket Navdeep Singh and Arthur Sommer with students and teachers at Shaheed Udham Singh Government College located in Matak Majri village of Indri. Along with telling the methods of making it, also explained the ways to reach NASA. College Principal Dr. Vikas Attri welcomed the guests and called upon the students to take inspiration from such personalities.Dr. Suresh Kumar, in-charge of Placement Cell, coordinated the program and conducted the stage. Dr. Deepa Sharma did it. Arthur Sommer, who came from Germany, shared his NASA experiences with the students. He gave details of the structure of the space rocket and explained the method of making the rocket. Dr. Bohti Dhanda, Dr. Gulab, Dr. Raj Kumar and Dr. Sumit Goyal were present in organizing the program. |
Cosma represents her generation in the Leipzig Youth Parliament, the Youth Council of the US Consulate General in Leipzig, and as a training ambassador for skilled trades at HANDWERK (handcraft). Cosma is a prospective industrial mechanic with a high school diploma from 1st Mould in Pirna. Her teammates from previous years are already studying space-engineering or training to become astronauts.
