Commanding a rover
The Juno rover on the terrain simulating the Moon at the CSA's headquarters while being operated by team Bondar during the Junior Astronauts Camp in . (Credit: CSA)
Rovers, which are off-road mobile robots that can be remotely commanded, are an essential tool in space exploration. They can collect measurements of the gases or particles in the environment and scientific samples of extraterrestrial terrain such as rocks, dust and soil. Those measurements and samples help answer science questions, and the collection activity helps us learn more about the challenges rovers face. This is all critical information for planning future missions involving astronauts.
Rovers will play a big part in our future exploration of the Moon, and we will need the youth of today to be part of the mission teams of tomorrow. That's why we have created several opportunities to get hands-on experience in lunar science activities.
Rover Driving Academy
The Rover Driving Academy gives students in grades 6 to 9 the opportunity to remotely operate a real rover on a simulated lunar landscape, investigate areas of interest and identify lunar features. Through this initiative, young people will learn how to analyze data, conduct experiments and make scientific observations, while also building their teamwork, leadership and communication skills.
This experience is provided free to participants by the CSA, in collaboration with Mission Control and Pinnguaq Association. If you are a teacher and would like for your students to participate, please fill out the form on the Rover Driving Academy website.
Mission: Astronaut – Lunar Rover minigame
Mission: Astronaut is a free online game to learn about space missions, astronauts, the Moon, health, astronomy and the Webb Telescope. Everyone can play, but it is designed specifically for youth in grades 3 to 6.
The game includes several minigames, including Lunar Rover, an easy coding activity where students need to program a rover to navigate on the Moon by using coding blocks.
Other rover activities
Another activity will be announced soon. Be sure to check this page for updates!