The possibility of extraterrestrial life has been one of humanity's greatest curiosities for centuries. Teams of scientists have been working toward technologies to explore the potential of life on other planets — and one of those teams is the Mars Rover Design Team (MRDT) of Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST).
Thanks in part to NECi's enzyme-based nitrate kits and the team's scientific expertise, MRDT placed first in the Phobos division this past summer. They also received the John Barainca Science Award, given to teams whose scientific experiments go above and beyond competition requirements and demonstrate a deeper understanding of scientific principles.
About the Mars Rover Design Team
Missouri S&T's MRDT began designing a Mars Rover prototype in 2012 and attended their first competition in summer 2013. Since then, the team has traveled to the challenge site each June to practice and familiarize themselves with the environment. It's an international competition with 25–30 teams competing annually, each completing four tasks during the challenge. Teams prepare for an entire year, with plans due by February, and are also judged on a formal presentation.
We spoke with Katelyn Brinker, the science team lead, to learn more about the competition and how NECi's enzyme-based nitrate test kits contributed to their victory. Katie has been involved with MRDT for four years — starting on the science team and now serving as CTO, where she focuses on rover development and engaging new students. In her science role, she plays a key part in instrument selection and experimental design.
The Challenge
One of the required tasks is to integrate experiments that could indicate the possibility of life on Mars. Team member Trey identified NECi Superior Enzymes nitrate test kits as the right tool for the job — providing accurate, efficient data about soil composition at the challenge site. The team knew NECi's kits offered greater accuracy than other commercially available options.
Where NECi Came In
The team worked with a wide variety of soil types in Utah, ranging from clay-heavy to silty compositions with greatly varying moisture content. NECi's nitrate kits proved well-suited to the challenge, delivering reliable results across diverse samples.
"Thank you so much for the nitrate kits, they worked great! We were able to use the kits in Utah and detect nitrates in the soil pretty quickly. They were able to provide us with a range of data that could provide us with interesting information on the habitability of the area."
— Alyssa McCarthy, MRDT CFO
What's Next
The team has been preparing for next year's challenge since this year's competition ended. Their goals include completing the rover earlier in the season to allow more practice time, and continuing to refine their scientific systems and methods to advance outer space exploration.
Clean Water. Fertile Soil. Serious Science.
— NECi
