Robots, rovers and drones were star attractions at Sulphur Point as locals watched Nasa scientists collect data to help them better understand the universe.
Last week a team from Nasa, the US Government agency responsible for science and technology related to air and space, arrived in Rotorua to study the geological and geochemical features of the area.
Yesterday members of the team, along with scientists from across New Zealand and Australia, and those involved with Spaceward Bound, a collaborative education and research programme, gathered at Sulphur Point to collect data.
Rovers are like a small car with a remote control, which take samples and temperatures.
Australian scientist Dr Ken Silburn said one of the purposes was to examine life that lived in very rugged and harsh terrain, which could be an example of life elsewhere, including on Mars.