In December 2024, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced its selection of 31 university teams to participate in the new Lunar Autonomy Challenge (LAC). Participants represent educational institutions throughout the U.S. and compete for cash prizes:
- First place: $10,000
- Second place: $5,000
- Third place: $3,000
Notable names on this list include Harvard, Stanford, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and American Public University System (APUS).
Teams will learn the results of the qualifying round later this month. The teams who are selected to move forward will progress to a final round, and NASA will ultimately name three winners this May.
What Is NASA’s Lunar Autonomy Challenge?
According to NASA, the LAC “is a collaboration between NASA, The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), Caterpillar Inc., and Embodied AI.” Through this contest, participants will gain first-hand experience with autonomous systems like the ones NASA uses. These systems allow NASA’s spacecrafts, rovers and robots to complete tasks without human intervention.
What Is Each Team’s Objective?
The Lunar Autonomy Challenge tests each team’s ability to map the surface of the moon. Students apply their software skills to develop autonomous agents that operate a virtual lunar robot, which navigates a simulated moon environment. NASA described this virtual robot as “a digital twin of NASA’s ISRU Pilot Excavator (IPEx).”
Combining the functionality of a bulldozer and a dump truck, the IPEx “moon mining robot” is currently under development at the Kennedy Space Center. NASA anticipates the IPEx will allow the agency to not only dig up lunar soil but also transport it across the surface of the moon.
The robot powers eight cameras, each with its own LED light. Students must accurately measure the moon’s surface elevation and identify rocks located within a specified zone. NASA compares each team’s findings against its “ground truth” data to determine how well the autonomous agents perform.
There’s just one catch: The robot is battery-powered. Between driving it and operating its many cameras and lights, students will need to be careful and prevent the battery from fully draining.
A charging station is located within a nearby lunar lander. As the teams collect their data, they’ll also monitor the robot’s battery power and decide when to take a break from exploring to recharge.
Who Will Represent Our University in NASA’s Lunar Autonomy Challenge?
Per NASA’s requirements, each team must include at least four undergraduate and/or graduate students, plus a faculty advisor. While advisors can provide guidance throughout the course of the Lunar Autonomy Challenge, NASA specifies that students must perform all the work themselves.
Our team includes five students who took the initiative to pursue this opportunity:
- Alena Gavrilenko, a master’s in space studies student
- Christy BoneFont, a master’s in space studies student
- Addison Thompson, a bachelor’s in data science student
- Daryl Washington, a bachelor’s in data science student
- Felicia Owens, an information systems security alumna
Terry Trevino, a space studies alumnus and adjunct professor in the University’s space studies program, will serve as faculty advisor. His ongoing research has proved especially beneficial to the University’s team, as NASA required advisors to have previous experience with the agency.
“Alena came to me with a great presentation and great people,” says Trevino, explaining how the team came together.
How Will the University’s Team Fare Against Such Stiff Competition?
Lunar Autonomy Challenge participants will soon find out which teams are advancing to the final round. In the meantime, though, the University’s team is holding its own. “We could win this!” says Trevino.
However, the stakes will rise as the contest continues. During the qualifying round, teams mapped out an area of 81 square meters. Teams who move forward to the final round will need to chart out terrain for an area that is triple that size.
The pressure is on, but spirits remain high as our team recognizes just how extraordinary this experience has been.
“We know what to expect, in terms of stones and their placements, but when you get down at ground level and you’re looking at that large stone from this direction versus that direction, it is a different world,” Trevino notes.
What Else Will 2025 Hold for Our Space Studies Department?
As a leader in online space education, the University is home to various student organizations and research groups like the APUS Analog Research Group (AARG) dedicated to the “final frontier.” Students connect online and in person to discuss planetary science, space flight, and the future of human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.
Interested in deepening your understanding of the cosmos? Learn more about our space studies degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s and master’s levels.
Comments are closed.