Letter to the Editor: Robotics team to compete

Our junior high robotics team is participating in a competition in January that requires us to come up with a problem in space and a solution to that problem. The problem we chose to do is there is no gravity in space. Our solution is to create a spinning machine that uses centripetal force (the force that keeps something in a circular motion) to create artificial gravity.

You may be wondering, “Why is that a problem? Floating around everywhere would be so much fun!” Well... astronauts’ digestive systems do not agree. We have learned (thanks to our amazing team coaches!) that extra cerebrospinal (white) fluid in the brain causes some problems. The astronauts’ bones get weak and brittle and the digestive systems get weaker and have a harder time digesting the food they eat. Gravity in space would create a solution to many problems. 

We will be presenting this as a team to the judges at the competition in January 2019. We would like to thank the community, our parents, and our coaches for all of the support that they have given us by making snacks for the team when we have practice after sports, and for allowing all of us to practice and learn everything we have.

-Elijah Busick, Mallory McClenahan, Ethan Smith, Ella Uehling and Mikale Wendell