Martian
landscape
image
taken by
Opportunity
Tape the light sensor and number
modules to the front of the small box.
Decorate!
17
18
NASA engineers send instructions to the rovers via radio
communications. Depending on where the planets are in their
orbits, a radio signal traveling at the speed of light will
arrive on Mars between just over 3 minutes or as long as
20 minutes. Due to these time delays it is impossible to
communicate with and control the rover in real time. To send
instructions to rovers on Mars, NASA scientists must have a
line-of-sight between Earth and Mars. Occasionally Earth and
Mars are on opposite sides of the sun, called conjunction.
During this time, the sun can disrupt or block radio
communication between the two planets.
Use a
remote to
drive aro und
an d gathe
r
data !
Image Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
cut a hole
to access
po�er swi t�
Show us what
rover you made!
littleBits.cc/upload
NaSa
TODAY
