Local robotics team tours 'The Spirit'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Torey Griffith
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  A local robotics team took an up-close and personal look at the B-2 stealth bomber, here, Nov. 17.

The Heartland Home Educators Stealth Robotics team, a group of 13 youth from the surrounding area, built a robot to compete in the Boosting Engineering Science and Technology series of competitions, and took home a 1st place award in their latest competition in Harrison, Ark.

Northrop-Grumman sponsored the team this year, and invited them to come see America's premier stealth bomber.

"We encourage young people to pursue their passion for engineering, " said Ken Gallagher, Northrop-Grumman director and site manager. "The world needs more good engineers."

Mr. Gallagher and engineer Dave Denfeld explained some of the B-2's features, and how  the aircraft is designed to fly stealthily.

"I see them fly over my house all the time, and they look like a piece of metal that's been shot off of a rubber band," said Julie Hitchcock, a team member from Warrensburg, Mo. "To be able to see the B-2 up close and see how it works is really cool."

The B-2 has been an inspiration to the team, who's logo bears the jet's image.

"It's amazing," said Daniel Rodriguez, a team member from the Knob Noster, Mo. area. "The B-2 is one of the military's greatest engineering feats. It's older technology, but it's still going to be legitimate for years to come. All the thought, all the engineering, all the time and money that went into putting these jets together, and being able to come here and see it first-hand is amazing."

The team members receive mentorship from the engineers at Northrop-Grumman, who give them design suggestions for the robot. Northrop-Grumman donates funding, parts, and also manufactures some of the robot's parts to the team's specifications. 

"Another nice thing is to be able to talk to engineers like Ken Gallagher and Dave Denfeld, " said Mr. Rodriguez.  "They've been doing this stuff for a long time, and it's their life. It's great to be able to shadow people that, in our minds are geniuses."

The Stealth Robotics team's next challenge will be at the University of Arkansas, where they will compete against more than 40 teams from across the mid-west.

"It's the big Kahuna," said Mr. Rodriguez "It's going to be the best of the best, so we have to go in there with guns blazing, ready to fight,"

For more information, visit the team's website at www.stealthrobotics.110mb.com