Robinson Family Celebrates 10 Years on Mars
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2018
CONTACT
Victoria Robinson
Email: vlrpublishings@gmail.com
ROSELLE, N.J. — The Robinson Family Aerospace Mission has officially kicked off their 2018 May celebration of the Phoenix Mars Lander. This coming May 25, 2018, will mark the Phoenix’s 10th Anniversary on Mars. All month long, the Robinson Family will be celebrating the Phoenix by featuring Mars related music, artwork, poems and more for their digital festivities.
The Phoenix launched on August 4, 2007, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The NASA mission launched with a Delta II rocket carried the names of 250,000 or more people from around the world, including the names of 140 Washington Elementary School students from Roselle, New Jersey. In 2007, the names of the second and third graders were submitted aboard the Phoenix mission through a collaboration between the Robinson Family, Principal Dr. Dana Walker and faculty.
Planetary Society member, Willie Robinson was encouraged to spread the word about the Phoenix’s send-your-name to Mars initiative by the then Executive Director, and Co-founder of The Planetary Society, Dr. Louis Friedman. Mr. Robinson, including his wife, Adriana and daughter, Victoria, not only aided in sending the names of the 140 students, but they also ventured to submit a list of prominent African American figures’ names as well.
The names contained on the Phoenix were stored on a silica glass mini-DVD that carried the first library to the surface of Mars. The mini-DVD entitled, “Visions of Mars,” was provided to NASA by The Planetary Society. Assembled and edited by Jon Lomberg, a Planetary Society advisor, the “Visions of Mars” mini-DVD also carried Mars inspired artwork, science fiction stories and messages to the future explorers of Mars. The mini-DVD was designed to last for hundreds – if not thousands – of years, withstanding the Martian climate.
The Phoenix descended on the Martian arctic plains of Vastitas Borealis on May 25, 2008, and began sampling the ice and soil of Mars for evidence of past and present life. The successful landing of the Phoenix prompted celebration from not only the Principal Investigator, Dr. Peter Smith, but from the Robinson Family as well. In celebration of the Phoenix, the Robinson Family hosted a series of science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs for the youth of Roselle, New Jersey. These programs would later occur annually on or near May 25th and become known as “NASA Day” to the Roselle students.
In their 10th year, the Robinson Family has taken their celebration to a digital platform where people from around the world can participate. In celebrating the Phoenix, the Robinson Family has opened up their website (www.robinsonfamilymission.com) and social media sites (facebook.com/robinsonfamilymission and instagram.com/robinson_mission) for people to submit Mars inspired poetry, music, artwork and more.
The Robinson Family will be celebrating the launch of Phoenix’s sister mission, InSight, on May 5, 2018, as part of their month-long celebration.
The Robinson Family Aerospace Mission is a partnership based in New Jersey, created to elevate youth by encouraging their involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Victoria Robinson at vlrpublishings@gmail.com.
Robinson Family Aerospace Mission 