CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla — This year’s Lunabotics Mining Competition had a simple, yet accurate motto: “Design it, Build it, Dig it!” This event is held annually among college-aged students from points across the globe. Starting last year, the competition has been held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
The primary objective of this competition – is inspiration. With students in High School and College foregoing degrees in science, technology, engineering and math or “STEM” as it is more commonly referred to. It is hoped that competitions re-engage and retain student interest in these areas.
The Lunabotics competition also has side benefits. The equipment proven in the “lunar” pits – could be so clever as to have never been thought of before – and might one day be used on actual NASA mission to the Moon.
The challenge is for students was to design and build a remote controlled or autonomous excavator, called a Lunabot, that can collect and deposit a minimum of 10 kilograms of lunar simulant within 10 minutes. The complexities of the challenge include the abrasive characteristics of the lunar simulant, the weight and size limitations placed on the robots that are entered into the competition and the ability to control the robot from a remote control center.
This year’s competition has had the mining category’s scoring altered, placing the emphasis on the number of design operation factors such as dust tolerance and projection, communications, vehicle mass, energy required, and level of autonomy.
The competition’s grand prize, The Joe Kosmo Award for Excellence, is given to the team that scores the most points during the competition. Winners will be given a school trophy, $5000 team scholarship Kennedy Space Center launch invitations and up to $1000 travel expenses for each team member and one faculty advisor to attend one of NASA’s remote research tests.
2012 Lunabotics Mining Competition Winning Teams
Joe Kosmo Award for Excellence (Grand Prize)
The University of Alabama in collaboration with Shelton State Community College
On-Site Mining Award
First Place – Iowa State University in collaboration with Wartburg College
Second Place – The University of Alabama with Shelton State Community College
Third Place – Milwaukee School of Engineering
Judges Innovation Award
Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Efficient Use of Communications Power Award
Iowa State University in collaboration with Wartburg College
Best Use of Social Media
Universidad de Los Andes of Colombia
Slide Presentation and Demonstration Award
First Place – The University of Alabama in collaboration with Shelton State Community College
Second Place – West Virginia University
Third Place – Universidad de Los Andes of Colombia
Outreach Project Report Award
First Place – Iowa State University in collaboration with Wartburg College
Second Place – Montana State University – Bozeman
Third Place – John Brown University
Systems Engineering Paper Award
First Place – Montana State University – Bozeman
Second Place – John Brown University
Third Place – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Team Spirit Award
First Place – The University of Alabama in collaboration with Shelton State Community College
Second Place – Instituto de Astrobiologia Colombia IAC
Third Place – Polytechnic Institute of NYU
[youtube_video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYo00dzeluQ[/youtube_video]
Video Courtesy of NASA
Congrats to WVU for their 2nd place finish!! Congrats to all of the teams!
And the pics tell A LOT of the story! If I didn’t SEE what these young people came up with & the lunar dust conditions….etc…I would have thought the competition would have more resembled leggos & tinker toys!! GREAT PICS!