Our Beginning
We are the Robinson Family [Willie Robinson, Adriana Robinson and Victoria Robinson], and our mission is to elevate the youth by encouraging their involvement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as it relates to aerospace. Our goal is create a pathway of opportunity for young people all over to excel within these fields.
The Robinson Family Aerospace Mission began its journey with the launch of the Phoenix Mars Lander Mission. On August 4, 2007, the University of Arizona, under the direction of NASA, launched the Phoenix Mars Lander which was a spacecraft designed to detect microscopic life on Mars. Exclusively, this mission carried a DVD disc, created by our good friend and artist Jon Lomberg and The Planetary Society, entitled Visions of Mars. The Visions of Mars DVD carried our names as well as 250,000+ names to Mars in addition to Mars inspired artwork and science fiction novels; thus, making this DVD the world’s first library on Mars.
Notably, the Visions of Mars DVD carried the names of 140 former Washington Elementary School Students, otherwise known as the ‘Phoenix Kids’. Thanks to the former principal of Washington Elementary School, Dr. Walker, the names of 140 second grade students were sent on board the mission via the ‘send-your-name-to-Mars’ project.
On May 25, 2008, the Phoenix Mars Lander successfully made its descent on the North Pole of Mars carrying 250,000+ names, Mars themed artwork, a message to future Mars explorers, and science fiction novels via the Visions of Mars DVD. The Phoenix Mars Lander was NASA’s sixth successful mission, out of seven endeavors, by becoming the first lander to land in a polar region of Mars. Phoenix’s Robotic Arm touched the surface of Mars on May 31st, 2008 and began testing Mars’s surface. Phoenix’s surface mission consisted of sampling Martian soil for ice after sols [Martian days] of testing, and using its Robotic Arm Camera to capture patches of a smooth bright surface on Mars, which was later discovered to be ice. On July 31st, 2008, NASA announced that the Phoenix Mars Lander had uncovered the presence of ice on Mars.
Since the landing of the Phoenix, we’ve celebrated the success of the lander annually with the ‘Phoenix Kids’ by having programs featuring NASA personnel, aviators, scientists, robotic professors, engineers, mathematicians, and authors. These celebrations continued annually from 2008 to 2013.
Now, the Robinson Family Aerospace Mission would like to expand its borders beyond working alongside the ‘Phoenix Kids’ and have participation from young people all over within the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. We believe that encouraging young people to get involved within these STEM fields will result in various job opportunities.
Dedication to the ‘Phoenix Kids’:
Robinson Family Aerospace Mission 