The 2020 FIRST Robotics Regional Competitions are finally upon us! Are you ready? Check out our compilation of webcasts in the link below! Webcasts will be linked as they become available.

+ Regional Webcast List+ NASA FRC Awards List

The 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition kickoff marks the beginning of the design and build season for the FIRST Robotics Competition. Teams have the opportunity to meet at "local" Kickoffs to compare notes, get ideas, make friends, find mentoring teams, learn the game, pick up the Kit of Parts, and get geared up for the exciting competition season. The 2020 Kickoff took place on Saturday January 4th, 2020.

+Watch the Kickoff Archive+Watch the Field Tour Video

NASA is proud to announce the return of the "NASA RAP FRC Field Viewer" application. This Android application allows users to explore current and previous FIRST Robotics Competition Fields utilizing their Android devices. You can explore the field in VR using Google Cardboard or just the handset's screen and a virtual gamepad. Users can "fly" around the FRC field to view any angles of the field they want in VR to gain a better understanding of the FRC Field.

Scan the QR Code to access the Android App's Google Play Store Link!

Engineers attached NASA's Mars Helicopter, which will be the first aircraft to fly on another planet, to the belly of the Mars 2020 rover today in the High Bay 1 clean room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

The twin-rotor, solar-powered helicopter was connected, along with the Mars Helicopter Delivery System, to a plate on the rover's belly that includes a cover to shield the helicopter from debris during entry, descent and landing. The helicopter will remain encapsulated after landing, deploying to the surface once a suitable area to conduct test flights is found at Jezero Crater, the rover's destination.

The Mars Helicopter is considered a high-risk, high-reward technology demonstration. If the small craft encounters difficulties, the science-gathering of the Mars 2020 mission won't be impacted. If the helicopter does take flight as designed, future Mars missions could enlist second-generation helicopters to add an aerial dimension to their explorations.

The highly anticipated moment that all the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams that submitted an application for a NASA FRC grant, has finally arrived! NASA's award selection is listed in the following link. If your FRC team submitted an application for a NASA FRC registration grant, please review the awards list to verify your award status.

+ NASA FRC Awards List

Watch NASA's Mars 2020 Rover being built at the Spacecraft Assembly Facility (SAF) cleanroom at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Engineers are building and testing NASA's next Mars Rover, Mars 2020, before it is shipped to its launch site, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. Engineers are currently working on putting the rover together. There are live webchats Mon.-Thur. at 11:00am and 4:00pm PDT with additional moderated chats when special activities occur.

Follow the Robotics Alliance Project on Twitter! We use twitter to post about announcements, new features, and much more!

Follow @NASA_RAP on Twitter!

See original here:

NASA - Robotics Alliance Project