TSO-C Day 2: Brainstorming to Weather the Storm

Mars, currently an uninhabitable terrain, is threatening the Tinkerers’ very survival at UC Elkus Ranch. What else can they do but build proper shelter for the Tinkering masses, a gondola for transporting our Tinkerers safely to and fro shelter and more rovers to cross the terrain in search of other life, oxygen, food and water.

To the drawing boards they went, tossing ideas back and forth, designing the structures to support their very existence. Plans turned to actions as they cut board after board, knowing that they must ensure complete construction by Friday when a 400 mph dust storm is forecast to hit at the very heart of the Mars UC Elkus terrain.

Team Mars Shelter works at securing the joints on The Underrated Rad Turtle Loco Extraterrestrial (TURTLE,) their hexagonal Mars home.

The seniors’ shelter team built The Underrated Rad Turtle Loco Extraterrestrial (TURTLE,) a hexagonal home, while the gondola team built a one-story housing unit that would hopefully be mobile and possibly allow for extra floors for would-be penthouse dwellers.

“We’re hoping it’s going to be mobile, maybe add a second floor,” Evan said adding, “The only problem with making it mobile is making it mobile.”

Claire works with Ally to build a gondola door.

The rover team was quick in their construction, building a solid foundation for their rover which is currently scheduled to have a removable top shell and a body rolling on six wheels.

“We haven’t really done a lot of mechanisms yet. We are just constructing the frame and still need to test weight,” Max said. They are planning a garage build if his crew finishes early.

Finally, one junior team set a hexagonal foundation for more shelter, and their gondola team counterparts built a slightly marquis diamond shaped capsule to be moved along one or two or more ropes maybe.

Collaborator, Anna, helps the junior gondola team build their mobile Mars housing frame.

Asked why they designed such an oddly shaped gondola, Bob responded, “We did it so it wouldn’t capsize.” They might even build a second gondola if her team has time she adds.

With such early progress underway, it seems safe to say that Tinkerers will likely survive the looming storm.

Check out our photo slideshow of our Tinkerers’ progress.