Volume VIII, Special Issue
Editor Talia Jurgens
October 21, 2008

Reduced Gravity Robot Design Challenge

Using Lego Mindstorms (NXT Kits), design a mechanism that will propel 2 masses, such as a billiard ball and a ball bearing, in a forward motion (similar to a pinball game or billiard ball cue stick) that is equal in force and time for each mass. The design, including the robot and space to launch the balls, must fit into a space that is 30 cm in length, 55 cm in width and 25 cm in height. Please E-mail baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu for a blank application.

Applications must include:

• Picture of your design
• Written instructions on how to build the design
• Computer program
• Evidence that the balls go in a continuous forward motion (can be a video)
• Name of Robot

The winning design will fly on NASA's Reduced Gravity Aircraft with the LiftOff Teacher Team conducting "Challengers Lost Lessons" on the January 2009 flight. The selected design team will receive:

Press Recognition
Certificates
6 Team T-shirts
Poster for your school
Experiment Patch flown in reduced gravity
Honor of having your robot design fly in microgravity

Deadline: November 14, 2008
Submit to: baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu

TSGC_Teachers@www.tsgc.utexas.edu
http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/lists/teachers/