Robot Miners To Mimic Mining on the Moon in NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition

Robot miners on the Moon, what will they look like?  A NASA competition may provide a glimpse into future lunar mining.

Conceptualized Moon Mining Machine

 Image credit: NASA

The Lunabotics Mining Competition is a university level competition designed to engage and retain students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). NASA will directly benefit from the competition by encouraging the development of innovative lunar excavation concepts from universities which may result in clever ideas and solutions that could be applied to an actual lunar excavation device or payload.

The challenge is for students to design and build a remote controlled or autonomous excavator (lunabot) that can collect and deposit a minimum of 10 kg of lunar simulant within 15 minutes. The complexities of the challenge include the abrasive characteristics of the lunar simulant, the weight and size limitations of the lunabot, and the ability to control the lunabot from a remote control center. Twenty two teams from around the nation are ready to compete at the Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 27-28.

School Teams Currently Registered: 
Akron, University of
Alabama, University of
Arkansas, University of
Auburn University / Tuskegee University (HBCU)
Bridgeport, Connecticut, University of
Carnegie Mellon University / Hampton Univ. (HBCU)
Colorado School of Mines
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida State University / Florida A & M University (HBCU)
Iowa State University
John Brown University
Milwaukee School of Engineering, WI
Montana State University
North Carolina-Charlotte, University of
North Dakota School of Engineering & Mines, University of
Prairie View A & M University
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Southern Indiana, University of
Temple University, PA
Virginia Tech
Western Kentucky University