STEM: Mars Rover Project & Grant - Secondary (2026 Intake)

Following the success of the recent partnership with the Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools, and a successful grant offering to over 40 schools in 2025, Immersive Education is once again pleased to invite applications for a STEM: Mars Rover Project Grant for our 2026 intake. Previous applicants and/or participants from previous grants are eligible and encouraged to re-apply for 2026 to further support STEM implementation in their schools.
  • The STEM: Mars Rover Project is designed for students in Years 7-10, where they build, test, and control a prototype Mars Rover equipped with a solar panel for sustainable energy. Throughout the project, students engage in hands-on activities that simulate real-world space exploration and engineering challenges.

  • Students start by designing and constructing a Mars Rover prototype, testing the functionality of the solar panel with a multimeter to measure voltage, current, and power output under various conditions. They also explore the Rover's speed and velocity on different terrains, examining factors such as friction, terrain type, and Rover design to optimise performance.

  • The project extends into the realm of aeronautics as students design and build a landing platform for an RC drone, mimicking the landing and takeoff sequence of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. This task involves critical thinking and problem-solving to create a stable, efficient platform that would support autonomous drone landings in varying conditions. The project covers essential STEM concepts including measurement, speed, velocity, acceleration, trigonometric calculations, and Newton's Laws of Motion. Students also engage in critical and creative thinking through engineering design principles.

  • The STEM: Mars Rover Project can be offered as an extra-curricular activity, a standalone STEM subject, or integrated within Numeracy, Mathematics, Science, and Design Technology units. It offers a comprehensive exploration of both space exploration and engineering, providing students with a solid foundation in real-world applications of STEM principles.

  • The STEM: Mars Rover Project Grant subsidises the cost of implementing the project in each school, and will provide a limited number of successful schools with all the training and resources required to establish the project in their school. The total project cost is $7,000 per school with the grant subsidising $4,000 of the cost. The STEM: Mars Rover Project requires a co-contribution of $3,000 from the participating school. The co-contribution includes:

  • • One face-to-face professional learning sessions for up to four teachers (and/or technicians). This professional learning session will assist with the developing understanding of both the theoretical and curriculum links for the STEM: Mars Rover Project. Secondary Science, Maths, STEM teachers/technicians with any level of experience are invited to join to engage in professional development, to be provided the opportunity to be shown through the course, in order to be able to facilitate the project in their schools. The session will explore the practical implementation of the STEM: Mars Rover Project, with teachers provided with resources on the day to engage in the practical component. When combined with the theoretical components this will allow participants to get a first-hand feel for how the project can be delivered in their school context.

  • • Three live instructional professional learning webinar for teachers. This will assist with recapping both the theoretical and practical components of the course.

  • • All required physical resources
  • • 30 Mars Rover Kits
  • • 30 x Mini RC Drones
  • • 2 x Digital Multimeters
  • • Digital teacher and student supporting resources

  • Professional Learning Dates:

  • 1) Friday February 20 2026 - 9:00am to 4:00pm – Location TBC (Face-to-Face Session)
  • 2) Wednesday March 4 2026 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm - Optional Online Webinar - Theoretical Components Recap
  • 3) Wednesday March 18 2026 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm - Optional Online Webinar - Practical Components Recap
  • 4) Thursday April 22 2026 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm - Optional Online Webinar - Extension Components

  • Who Should Attend?
  • This professional learning is best attended by a team of staff from each school. Support is provided for up to four staff from each school. These staff could comprise:

  • • School Leaders & Learning Area Leaders
  • • Classroom Teachers of Mathematics, Science or Technologies
  • • Laboratory Technicians

  • Applications for this grant will close 9:00am Friday 19 September 2025 (End of Term 3).
  • Successful applicants will be informed by Friday 10 October 2025.
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