A Star is Born: NASA Inspires Robotics Club as Discovery Readies for Launch

Who: Livingston Robotics Club

Accomplishments: They’re reaching for the stars.

Key to Awesomeness: NASA has begun a final countdown for Discovery’s final launch on Thursday and the Livingston Robotics Club has it collective fingers crossed that it really will blast off as scheduled.

But while the space shuttle is headed for the International Space Station, these kids in the Robotics Club have their sights set even higher. They’re reaching all the way to Mars!

In the meantime, they’re getting help and encouragement from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists and engineers in a Mars mission.

The journey began early last year, when dozens of children as young as kindergarteners to third grade formed teams to participate in a robotics program called Junior FIRST LEGO League.

The program was established by a partnership between FIRST of New Hampshire and The LEGO Group. Children from different parts of Northern Jersey gathered each week in Livingston to research and build their LEGO models to learn more about transportation.

NASA swept in with a space travel exhibition for the Expo last spring on the Livingston Oval. The club collaborated with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to implement the “Imagine Mars” workshop hoping that not only will it help children to think outside of the box, but also outside of the Earth.

NASA Engineer Ravi Prakash showed the the children the next Mars rover named “Curiosity,” which will be launched later this year as part of the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

The children have become so fascinated with the Mars mission that they have written thoughtful messages to Curiosity to wish her luck in the mission.

"Have a good trip," and “good luck and have fun!" the letters say. Some children asked Curiosity to find rock samples and requested a favor to search for alien life .

In the meantime, Curiosity has been busy testing and preparing herself for the journey. But recetly the rover round time to write back:

“Thanks for all the well wishes. Keep up with all your math & science and look for Curiosity on Mars!”

Some key members of the mission team took time to add their own message: “Keep the dream alive!”

“Keep it up!” wrote Joy Crisp, deputy project scientist.

“Keep reaching for the stars!” added Jordan Evans, deputy flight system manager.

Other key members of the mission team who added personal messages included Dara Sabahi, integrated system engineering lead; Ashwin Vasavada, deputy project scientists; Matt Wallace, flight system manager; John “Jeff” Simmonds, payload managers; and Richard Brace, chief project assurance manager.

The children met again at the Livingston Library on Feb. 19 to see what the mission team has accomplished so far. It was also the first time to reveal the response from NASA’s JPL.

“Cool. This is awesome getting a card from NASA,” said Ethan Markon, 9.

“The rover is cool. I love it,” added six-year-old Tien Rattanasoontorn.

“Curiosity is huge and cool! I wish I was a scientist too, just like you!” Sacha Nithikasem, a second grader, wrote in a paper with a drawing of herself next to Curiosity.

The full-size replica of the card that was used to send messages between the children and Curiosity is now with the mission team at NASA's JPL in California. Each participant also received a half-size replica of this card as a reminder that Curiosity may have made a head start in getting ready to set her feet on Mars first, but perhaps it won't be too long before they could be one of the first to set their own feet on Mars as well.

LRC plans to host its Jr.FLL Expo on May 28. This year's Challenge is called "Body Forward." The Jr.FLL program is still open to accept new participants until the end of April. We will have a chance to once again see what kids can come up with, and who might step up to inspire our future scientists and engineers in the field of Biomedical Engineering.

Do you know a great kid? If you know a kid (a class or team or scout troop) who is doing something fascinating and extraordinary, or quirky and unusual, please let us know. We’re trying to find out: What’s UP with these kids? Email marilyn.lehren@patch.com. They could be our next Whiz Kids.