In this activity, students will simulate communications between a base on Mars and a base on Earth.

To do this, it will be divided into two Teams

• Engineers at the Earth base.
• Engineers at the base of the Moon.

Each team will use a micro:bit board and a different computer to program communications in blocks. Each micro:bit board (plate A and plate B) includes a short-range radio transmitter. The programming will be done on the free web platformMakeCodeCopying the instructions explained visually and simply in the guide to:

1. Set up a channel (group), which will be the same
2. Send messages ("radio send string") from the A board.
3. Receive them ("when receiving radio chain") on the B-board and display them on the LED array or with a buzzer.

During the activity, the group designs a minimum protocol (e.g. using keywords or icons) and checks the actual range of the signal in the classroom.

Subsequently, they will add a delay of 2 minutes to the action from the time it is sent by the antenna until it is received by the rover, simulating the delay experienced by the signal sent from Earth to reach Mars, when both planets are at their closest distance. We will mention that this delay can be up to 22 minutes between sending the signal from Earth and receiving it on Mars, when both planets are in their orbits at their maximum distance.

RECOMMENDED AGE: 12–15 years

LOMLOE COMPETENCIES:

• Competence in science, technology and engineering
• Digital competence
• Personal, social and learning to learn competence
• Entrepreneurial competence

DIDACTIC OBJECTIVES:

• Understand how two wireless devices communicate at short distances to later understand the delay of space communications.
• Schedule sending and receiving strings and icons with micro:bit radio.
• Design a simple protocol that can withstand wait times.
• Encourage operational patience, advance planning and cooperative work.

MATERIALS (per team):

• 1 x micro:bit board (+ battery holders)
• 1 x USB cables for charging/encoding
• Cards for jotting down codes/messages
• Space in classroom or hallway to test range

INCLUSION:

• Rotating roles (programmer, sender, receiver, recorder).
• Messages also coded with icons for students with reading difficulties.