A lonely Mars rover. . . One stellar party.
In 2013, NASA programmed their Curiosity rover to hum “Happy Birthday to You” in honor of its first year on Mars. Inspired by this anecdote, this is the tale of a lonely rover and his party, accompanied by fascinating Mars rover facts that help explain the real science behind the story. This fun birthday tale provides an accessible, kid-friendly look at one of NASA’s coolest programs.
Illustrated by Scott Magoon.
Listen as Florence Tan, Lead Electrical Engineer at Goddard Flight Center, talks about programming Curiosity to hum The Birthday Song.
Here’s a view of Mars as taken by Curiosity on March 14, 2016. Credit to Jason Major/JPL.
How Did Curiosity Land on Mars?
How Do Rovers Drive on Mars?
Is Mars Hot or Cold?
“Part fiction and part fact, “Rover Throws a Party” is a fun, amusing story that also contains scientific information … certain to fascinate and educate readers, young and old alike.” —Kendal Rautzhan, nationally syndicated columnist on children’s literature
