The NASA Lunabotics Challenge, previously known as the NASA Robotic Mining Competition, is an annual competition hosted by NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Teams build robots that mine in a simulated Lunar environment, where the floor of the arena consists of gravel covered by a layer of packed dust. The robots must cross a section of the arena covered with obstacles, dig for the gravel while sifting out the dust, and return back to deposit the gravel in a collection trough. Teams are scored based on the amount of material they collect during their 10-minute run, as well as other factors such as dust protection, power usage, weight, and level of autonomy. The Lunar simulation brings unique challenges, including the drive team being isolated from the arena and Earth-dependent sensors like GPS being banned.
Major agenda items for the Fall 2023/Spring 2024 year include:
Mechanical
- Design and manufacture a new drive train system
- Stabilize the robot's frame from flexing while keeping it light
- Redirect the offloading system to the back of the robot
Software
- Fuse IMU data with Realsense point cloud to stabilize map construction
- Use point cloud to implement autonomous navigation
- Tie in autonomous navigation with other procedures for a fully autonomous routine
Electrical
- Information coming soon!
See the Team Calendar page for meeting dates and times, talk to us on Discord, or email us any questions at [email protected].