Philip Monroe’s astronomy students built Mars Rovers last week and tested them out in the front of Southwest on Monday.

A Mars rover is a vehicle that is powered up by sunlight using solar panels. Rovers are used to explore and capture photos of Mars surface. Although the students cars weren’t used for this purpose. Monroe believed this activity informed the students.

“It has to do with science technology engineering and mathematics, it kind of catches all of them,” Monroe said. “We have been studying Mars and looking at the Mars Rovers and so by making a model of one it fits.They design their own and make their own, it also makes photoelectric cells which all rovers work on.”

Building a Mars Rover was a bit of a struggle. The students experienced a few difficulties along the process.

“The hardest part was probably trying to get all the pieces together,” senior Graham Porter said.

Some students had trouble finding out how much super glue they needed. While other students didn’t experience any difficulties.

“I wouldn’t say any of it was difficult,” senior Holly Kine said. “Something that was hard was making the car go straight, because it wouldn’t go straight.”

The students needed to obtain materials for their Rovers such as wheels, a frame or base, hookup wire and a motor. Most of the students substituted wheels with CDs.

“Groups of one, two or three and they come up with their own thought process. Some were using wheel of CDs, albums and small wheels,” Monroe said. “Everyone had their own ideas some were powered by fans and blades and gears.”

They tested them on concrete first. Some Rovers went to the side and some even made it to the street.

Then they had to test them in a sandbox Mr. Monroe made. The wheels made out of CD’s would cut into the sand making it impossible to move.