When NASA sends the first Mars Rover on the first stage of its voyage to the Red Planet – scheduled for Sunday, June 8 – children throughout the world will be able to follow the exciting expedition in an entertaining and fun way. The first Mars Rover will carry a picture of a small LEGO minifigure with it into space, and this Astrobot has been named Biff Starling. His colleague, Sandy Moondust, will follow on or about June 25. Sandy will make her voyage aboard the second Mars Rover, and the plan is for both Astrobots to keep a diary. And children of the world will be able to follow the diary by clicking onto http://redrovergoestomars/astrobots or by reading extracts in LEGO Magazine or on www.LEGO.com.
Bruce Betts of The Planetary Society says: “The idea of having the two LEGO minifigures write a diary is brilliant. It gives both the LEGO Company and us the possibility of communicating directly with children everywhere. They can be updated in their own vernacular and context on how the Mars Expedition is progressing.”
The Planetary Society is the world’s largest non-commercial organisation devoted to space research. The Planetary Society and the LEGO Company are collaborating on the project Red Rover Goes To Mars. The Society maintains direct contact with NASA, and it is the first time that NASA has been willing to combine an educational experiment with research of another planet.
Says Brad Justus of the LEGO Company: ìThe Planetary Society’s Red Rover Goes To Mars project is a great way to involve children in space research. We want to activate children’s imagination, learning and creativity – and that’s exactly what space research is all about.î
