It was a visit that was out of this world.

Royston Crow: Abbie Hutty and Kathryn Styles from Airbus, with children, Katie Simpson, Ashleigh Charlwood, Sophie Lamb, Cameron Waters and Amelia Collis, from Melbourn Village CollegeAbbie Hutty and Kathryn Styles from Airbus, with children, Katie Simpson, Ashleigh Charlwood, Sophie Lamb, Cameron Waters and Amelia Collis, from Melbourn Village College (Image: Archant)

Key Stage 3 pupils at Melbourn Village College were treated to a special assembly on Thursday showcasing one of the prototypes of the Mars Rover – a space exploration vehicle due to land on the planet in 2018.

Abbie Hutty and Kathryn Styles, two of its engineers from Airbus in Stevenage – the company developing the Rover – led the demonstration of the prototype, which has been dubbed Bridget, to the eager students.

Principal Simon Holmes said: “It was fantastic to have Bridget come in and for her engineers to explain to the students that the space industry isn’t reserved for NASA.”

On previous outings Bridget has met many famous people, including the Queen, German chancellor Angela Merkel and TV science guru Professor Brian Cox.

Royston Crow: The Rover at Melbourn Village CollegeThe Rover at Melbourn Village College (Image: Archant)

The 300 students were talked through the design and saw the £1.6m vehicle drive around the school hall via remote control.