The CompetitionsAlabama Astrobotics has primarily competed in NASA's Lunabotics competition and Caterpillar's Robotic Mining Challenge. The purpose of these competitions is to design and build a robot that supports life-sustainment on the lunar surface. The Moon's surface contains a buried material called icy regolith, imitated with gravel. Once retrieved, the material will be used for astronauts, as well as rocket fuel for further missions. During the competitions, our robot must traverse a lunar-simulated arena, dig for gravel, and deposit it in a collection bin.
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The TeamAlabama Astrobotics is divided into four main sub-teams: Mechanical, Electrical, Software, and Systems Engineering. Mechanical designs and manufactures the robot; Electrical supplies and regulates power to rover electronics; Software programs the robot to operate autonomously; and Systems Engineering determines requirements, schedules, and budgets based on competition rules.
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National ChampionsThe Astrobotics Team is highly decorated in awards from the competitions. In NASA's Lunabotics competition, the Team has won first place eight times in the twelve previous competitions, the last seven times in a row. Additionally, the Team has placed first in the Caterpillar Robotic Mining Challenge in the inaugural year of the competition.
NASA Lunabotics Championship Years: 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012 Caterpillar Robotics Mining Challenge Championship Year: 2019 |
Resources
Caterpillar Robotic Mining ChallengeCaterpillar hosted the Robotic Mining Challenge for the second time in 2023 after its first competition in 2019. The competition was hosted on The University of Alabama's campus in the Alabama Astrobotics's Lunar Surface Simulator (LSS). Click the picture to learn more!
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