Help

Logging In

How to Use the Rover Driving Control Panel

What Do Those Error Messages Mean?

Some Rover Driving Tips

Having Trouble Driving? Try Visiting Another Mars Station

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Logging In

• Two Ways to Drive
  • Logging in with a screen name
  • Logging in with a username and password
• User Levels
• Help! I logged in, but it's not letting me drive.
• Help! I logged in, but it only lets me drive for 60 seconds.
• Can I schedule a time for my class to log in and drive?

Two Ways to Drive

In order to drive the rover, you have to log in. You can log in through two different methods:

• Log in using a screen name that you make up
• Contact us ahead of time to set up a special username and password for logging in

Logging in with a screen name

To log in with a screen name that you make up, click here. When you log in with a screen name, you are automatically assigned a User Level.

Why do we ask you for a screen name? Sometimes, more than one person tries to connect to and drive our rover at the same time. Identifying you with a screen name keeps you and the other driver separate in our system. If the other driver gets there first, you'll have to wait your turn. When it's your turn to drive, the other driver will have to wait.

What should you enter for your screen name? Anything you want! There are a few restrictions, though. Your screen name should be 16 characters or shorter. There should be no spaces in the name. It's informative to other users if you also select the name of the country where you're from. It will become part of your screen name--for example: "Katya-Russia" or "Joe-United States"

Logging in with a username and password

To log in with a username and password, click here. Not all Mars Stations will grant usernames and passwords. Sometimes Mars Stations will only allow logins with special usernames and passwords.

How do I get a username and password? You must contact us at least two weeks ahead of time. You must have a good reason for wanting to have special driving privileges. For some examples of good reasons, read below.

What's the point of a username and password? Having a username and password allows you to connect with special "Poweroperator" driving privileges, including jumping to the front of the line and having a longer drive time limit. Read the User Levels section to learn more about different driving privileges.

For what kinds of reasons would I be given a username and password? Some examples: "I am the technology teacher at Washington Elementary School. I'd like the third grade class to be able to connect and drive your rover as part of their unit on Mars at 10:20 on Wednesday." "I am studying Mars Rovers for my science fair project, and I need to schedule fifteen minutes on your Mars Station to try to map your Mars Site by driving the rover to see what challenges face real space scientists."

User Levels

When you log in, you are automatically assigned a User Level. There are three possible User Levels:

• Viewers are not allowed to drive the rover, but they can see through the rover's camera and see the logbook. Sometimes they can also write messages to the logbook.
• Rover Operators are allowed to drive the rover for a limited time. If there's someone already driving when an Operator logs in, the Operator will have to wait for their turn to drive, usually as a Viewer. When the Operator's time is up, they get switched back to Viewer status and go back to the end of the line. The amount of time that Operators can drive is different for different Mars Stations, but it's typically 1 or 2 minutes. However, if there is nobody else trying to drive, Operators are allowed to drive for an unlimited time.
• Poweroperators log in with a username and password. (Click here to find out how to get one.) When a Poweroperator logs in, they jump to the front of the line, and the Operators and Viewers have to wait for the Poweroperator to finish before they can drive. Poweroperators usually have longer driving time limits than Operators. It's possible, but not common, for Poweroperators to be given unlimited drive times.

When you log in with a screen name, you will given either Viewer or Operator privileges. On rare occasions, there will be so many people trying to connect that you won't be able to log in at all. Or a Poweroperator may log in and bump you off the rover. If this happens, you should just try a different Mars Station.

Help! I logged in, but it's not letting me drive.

This can happen for two reasons:

• Someone else is driving; you have to wait your turn, or
• The Mars Station is allowing "Viewer" privileges only (see the User Levels section to learn more).

Help! I logged in, but it only lets me drive for 60 seconds.

If there are a lot of people trying to connect at the same time, the Mars Station will only allow you to drive for a limited amount of time before giving someone else a chance. You can try visiting another time, or try a different Mars Station.

Can I schedule a time for my class to log in and drive?

Yes! You have to arrange this ahead of time and obtain a username and password. Click here to learn how.

For answers to more questions, visit the Frequently Asked Questions Page.