Mars Rover Driver (Coolest Jobs on the Planet) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1406259837 ISBN 13: 9781406259834

Publisher: Raintree, 2014

Synopsis

No one has yet visited Mars - at least, no humans have. Robot rovers have explored the surface of the Red Planet, and it's the job of people on Earth to control their every movement. Find out what's involved in being a rover driver, the tools and skills you need, and the difficulties of controlling something that's millions of miles away.

About this title

About the Author

Catherine Chambers was born in Adelaide, Australia, and was brought up in the UK. She has written about 120 books for children and young adults on all kinds of subjects, including history, biographies, science and the arts.

From Booklist

Scott Maxwell, of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, might just have the awesomest of all jobs profiled in the Coolest Jobs on the Planet series. Maxwell remotely operates robots on Mars, specifically two picture-taking, soil- and rock-sampling rovers named Curiosity and Opportunity. Maxwell’s trajectory from stargazing kid to computer-science major to NASA recruit is quickly covered as a preamble to the main event, his detailed work each sol (that’s Martian for “day”) with the rovers, during which he and his team carefully choreograph each planned mission. The layout is all over the place, with photos, illustrations, and blocks of boxed text, often under headings like “Note to Self” and “My Hero.” Though sometimes this mania can disrupt the flow, it’s also welcoming to reluctant readers. The enthusiasm of subject and author vibrates off the page, creating a unique learning experience for readers. Grades 5-8. --Courtney Jones

Edition details

• Publisher: Raintree
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1406259837
• ISBN 13: 9781406259834
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 48