36112,
12
May
2023
|
14:39 PM
America/Chicago

Delaware Wing's Aerospace Education Day Focuses on Cadet Mars Challenges

Helping hand

Delaware Wing cadetsDE Wing took on the twin challenges of designing and building a habitat on Mars and constructing a planetary rover on a limited budget during the wing’s recent Aerospace Education Day. 

The Mars Habitat Challenge tasked cadets with designing and building a model of a habitat that could support human life on Mars. 

The Mars Rover Challenge required them to design and build a rover that could travel farthest in a gravity-assisted race using nothing but different types of pasta and candy. 

The cadets were given a budget to spend on their projects, with the winning tandem, Cadet Staff Sgt. Sebastian Somoano and Cadet Airman1st Class David J. Everson III, recognized for producing the rover that could cover the greatest distance. 

Somoano belongs to the Delaware Air National Guard Cadet Squadronm and Everson III is a member of the Middletown Cadet Squadron

Martian habitat

Lt. Col. Jean-Marie Nixon, wing aerospace education officer, and 1st Lt. Krista Moretz, assistant wing aerospace officer and aerospace education officer for the Delaware Air National Cadet Squadron, organized the activity. 

The event, held April 22 at the New Castle County Public Safety Building in Wilmington, attracted 17 cadets and 13 adult members from the Brandywine, Delaware Air National Guard and Middletown cadet squadrons, New Castle Senior Squadron, and Dover Composite Squadron. 

Dave Carpenter Jr., New Castle County's coordinator for emergency management as well as a former Civil Air Patrol member and 1989 recipient pf the organization’s top cadet honor, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, provided a safety briefing to start the event. 
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2nd Lt. Venkat Pillarisetty
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Delaware Air National Guard Cadet Squadron
Delaware Wing