Nov. 5, 2009

Rachel Prucey 
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. 
650.604.0643 
Rachel.L.Prucey@nasa.gov  

Myla Y. Grasso 
Pleasanton Unified School District 
925-426-4304 
mgrasso@pleasanton.k12.ca.us 

MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-142

VALLEY VIEW ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO TEST-DRIVE NASA ROVERS

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – News media are invited to an event where 
fifth-grade students from Valley View Elementary School, Pleasanton, 
Calif., will experience robotic exploration by test-driving 
remote-controlled rovers around a student-designed obstacle course on 
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009. 

The robotic rovers are similar to those used in space exploration and 
are designed and built by the Carnegie Mellon University in 
partnership with NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. 
Robots are used extensively in the Spaceward Bound program for 
students and teachers, designed to train the next generation of space 
explorers through participatory educational activities. 

WHO: 110 fifth-grade students from Valley View Elementary School, 
Pleasanton, Calif., a fifth-grade teacher and Spaceward Bound 
alumnus, Rob Palassou, along with Liza Coe, Spaceward Bound 
co-Investigator at NASA Ames, and Michael Lamberty, technical lead 
for Spaceward Bound 2.0. 

WHEN: 1:15 – 2:45 p.m. PST on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009. 

WHAT: Students test-drive robotic rovers that are similar to those 
used in space exploration on a student-designed obstacle course. 

WHERE: Valley View Elementary School, 480 Adams Way, Pleasanton, 
Calif. 

For information about the Spaceward Bound program, visit: 

http://quest.nasa.gov/projects/spacewardbound/ 

	
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