Student engineers design lunar robot for NASA competition

A group of eight University of North Dakota mechanical and electrical engineering students have built a remotely operated robot capable of collecting more than 20 kg of lunar simulant (simulated moon dirt) in about three minutes. Part of the NASA sponsored Lunabotics Mining Competition, the robot was designed by the team over the last year. The UND Engineering-built robot will be demonstrated at an event open to the public on Thursday, May 20, from 3 to 4 p.m. in 106 Upson Hall I on the UND campus.

The competition asked undergraduate and graduate 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 (simulated moon dirt) within 15 minutes. The complexities of the challenge include the abrasive characteristics of the lunar stimulant, 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 will compete at the Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 27-28.

The robot unloads the simulant into a collection bin that is 1 meter above the soil using an auger in a process similar to that of unloading a combine. The robot is controlled remotely by an operator with a standard video game controller. The biggest challenge to the operator is that the robot’s environment can only be viewed through an on-board camera.

If you would like more information on the project or schedule another viewing time please contact Jeremiah Neubert at 777-2107, jeremiah.neubert@und.edu , or Naima Kaabouch at 777- 4460,  naimakaabouch@mail.und.edu .