Mars Mission : Ice Collection Challenge

Mission Brief

You're an astronaut-robotics engineer stationed on Mars Base 7. A massive dust storm has just passed, revealing delicate ice crystals on the red surface. These crystals may hold the key to:

• Evidence of past or present life
• Essential water resources for future habitats
• Fuel production and oxygen for return missions

But there's a problem: the crystals are too fragile to be picked up by normal grabbers. Your mission is to design a rover with a One‑Way Curtain to collect them safely and bring them home.

🎥 Watch the Mission Video

Check out the full mission walkthrough:
https://youtu.be/20_-gqwPFDc

Step 1: Build the One‑Way Curtain

Create a mechanism that lets ice shards pass into the collection basket—but won’t let them fall out.

• Use LEGO beams or Axel elements as flaps
• They should hang from a Pivot Point
• Attach a STOP bar to prevent the flaps from opening the wrong way.
• Mount it at the front of your rover
• Test: make sure objects slide in—but not back out

Step 2: Build Your Rover

Start with a simple SPIKE Prime drive base:

• 2-motor driving chassis (wheels or treads)
• One‑Way Curtain in front
• Collection area big enough for multiple shards

Add sensors, color tiles, or bumpers if you like!

Step 3: Program the Mission

Using SPIKE Prime’s coding interface:

1. Drive forward to sweep crystals
2. Turn and repeat to cover the area
3. Return to the Home Base when done

Tip: Use loop blocks, timers, or sensor-based navigation to make it reliable.

Step 4: Create Ice Shards

Make your own LEGO “ice crystals”:

• Translucent 1×1 round tiles or slopes
• Light-blue or clear studs
• Vary shapes and sizes for more fun

Your Challenge

Build, attach, code, and collect:

MISSION GOALS

• Design a rover with a One‑Way Curtain
• Collect at least 5 ice shards
• Return to Home Base

Document your mission: take photos or videos!

🗣️ Share & Compete

Once your mission is complete, do this:

1. Comment below the video with your rover’s design and strategy
2. Like the video if you enjoyed the challenge
3. Subscribe for more robotics missions
4. Tag us on social media with your rover—your build might be featured!