NASA’s Mars rover represents a unique ‘opportunity’ for the community :: University of Waikato

The chance to see the future of robotics and planetary exploration first-hand has drawn crowds from all walks of life to the Waikato campuses in Tauranga and Hamilton.

The exhibit featured a 3D replica of the rover called Opportunity, which is believed to have completed one of NASA’s most successful and longest interplanetary rover missions. Opportunity has exceeded expectations, spending nearly 15 years exploring Mars’ hostile environment, setting several records and making key discoveries.

Opportunity exhibits on university campuses were part of a national roadshow organized by NASA designed to stimulate student interest in space careers. However, the opportunity to see a replica of cutting-edge robotics technology in person has proven to be an attractive draw for community members of all generations.

More than 250 members of the Tauranga community came to see Opportunity up close, followed by about 100 people in Hamilton the next day.

Tauranga homeschooler Scott, 15, said “it’s not an opportunity that a lot of people have”.

“It’s so cool to see the technology and solar panels. I had heard about Opportunity before when I was working on a NASA project – it kept coming up in my research because of how successful the mission was. To see it in real life is amazing,” Scott said.

Members of the business community were equally intrigued to see Oppy in person, with one attendee casually saying it was “a great excuse to quit work” while proudly sporting a NASA T-shirt.

Following the exhibition in Tauranga, a documentary about the rover called Goodnight Oppy was shown to 160 spectators.

Accompanying Oppy was US Embassy New Zealand Cultural Affairs Coordinator Anara Adams, who said visitors were excited and intrigued by the opportunity to see a piece of space exploration right here in New Zealand.

“This is a celebration of 150 years of scientific collaboration between New Zealand and the United States,” he said.

After a visit to Hamilton, Oppie returns to Auckland for his next adventure.