Students study Mars
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Five students at Hardy Academy in Camarillo are bringing Mars to Earth.

The students have built a replica of the Mars landscape and an operational rover. They'll recreate conditions similar to those encountered by NASA-operated rovers in an hourlong demonstration at 10 a.m. Fri., Jan. 26 at the Camarillo private school. The public is invited.

The students, who range from grades two to six, built the 4by8foot Mars landscape and rover with help from experts such as Bonnie Walters, a NASA/Jet Propulsion Lab Solar System ambassador.

Ambassadors are volunteers who communicate to schools and communities the excitement of space exploration and discoveries made by scientists working on various NASA and JPL projects.

In building the rover- about the size of a large shoe box and stands about 10 inches tall- the children also had to learn to program it. The rover will be mounted with a camera; the children will drive it across the landscape from "mission control"- a screenedoff area that replicates a situation similar to NASA's operation of actual Mars rovers.

Before and after participating in the project, the children wrote essays about their expectations and experience. Walters said that along with learning about technology, the children are astonished at what they're capable of doing.

"Some kids write: 'I felt so powerful commanding the rover that was so far away,'" Walters said. "It was very exciting for them."

The students will also discuss their research findings on whether or not there is water on Mars. The Mars Exploration Project is at Hardy Academy, 697 Mobil Ave., Camarillo. For more information, call (805) 389-8144.