Donation Funds Robots for Education Lab

A corporate donation is the first step in establishing a new lab at the Space Foundation Discovery Institute in Colorado Springs. The donation, referred to as the “Honeywell Mars Robotic Experience,” provides robots for a future simulated Martian terrain mission laboratory incorporating student-designed-and-built robots.

“The idea behind this lab is to have students build and learn how to program robots to complete specific missions,” said Space Foundation Director – Education Bryan DeBates. “What makes this experience unique is the Mars Yard in the lab, enabling students to operate their robots as if they were operating robots on the actual red planet. We appreciate the donation from Honeywell that made this possible.”

The Space Foundation Discovery Institute opened in 2009 in Colorado Springs and provides space-themed professional development, training and support for teachers and students from around the world. It serves as the base location for the Space Foundation’s education programs and houses classrooms, an Educator Resource Center and the AGI Space Missions Simulator.

The Martian terrain mission lab is scheduled to open in 2011 and will be available to students at the adjacent Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy and other schools as well.

“Honeywell is honored to be part of an education project that provides hands-on realism, with a dream. Simulation of the Mars experience will fuel student’s imagination within technical and engineering fields,” said Mark Clark, satellite control network contract systems engineering division manager for Honeywell in Colorado Springs.

Read local newspaper coverage here.

Supporting Space Foundation STEM Education
To inquire about supporting Space Foundation education programs, contact Margo Hatton, manager development and education partnerships, at 719.576.8000 or [email protected]. 

Pictured: Space Foundation Director – Education Bryan DeBates explains how the Honeywell robots will be used at the Space Foundation Discovery Institute in Colorado Springs. At right are Honeywell’s Mark Clark and Patrick Landry. The Honeywell donation is the first step in establishing a future simulated Martian terrain mission laboratory incorporating student-designed-and-built robots.

 

 

This article is part of Space Watch: December 2010 (Volume: 9, Issue: 12).