Training to Students in the Earthquake Region by ITU Bellatrix Team

ITU Bellatrix Team, which achieved significant success as the first and only Turkish team accepted to NASA’s human exploration rover challenge HERC, came together with the students of Doğanşehir Science High School, located in the earthquake region, at the Space and Science Festival.

Bellatrix Team, established by ITU Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics students, was accepted to the Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) 2024 organized by NASA. Bellatrix Team will compete at Marshall Space Flight Center in the USA, on 18-20 April, hosted by NASA.

To fulfill the requirement of engaging at least 250 students in various STEM-related educational activities as an evaluation criterion for HERC 2024, Bellatrix gave a training on space and science to students in the February 6 earthquake region.

Video call with Alper Gezeravcı

“Space and Science Festival” organized with the cooperation of Istanbul Technical University and Doğanşehir Science High School on 13-17 February brought together ITU Bellatrix Team and science high school students.

The event, visited by Malatya Governor Ersin Yazıcı, was met with great interest in the city. Our first astronaut Alper Gezeravcı accepted the students’ invitation and joined the festival online.

Robot design, colony race on the Moon, telescope observation

During the festival, theoretical robotic coding training was given to 313 students. The students were divided into groups and designed their own robots. Afterwards, student groups competed on the ARTEMIS Return to the Moon simulation themed track designed by ITU Bellatrix Space Team specifically for the event.

Science high school students supplemented their astronomy and sky observation training by setting up telescopes and making observations. In addition to the unmanned aerial vehicle training, interested students were given 3D printer training, enabling them to design and produce various figures.

Visit to 11 village schools in the earthquake region

Simultaneously with the trainings, ITU Bellatrix Space Team captains and Doğanşehir Science High School Music Club members visited 11 primary and secondary schools in the region.