NASA Lunar Regolith Excavation Challenge

The official NASA Lunar Regolith Excavation Challenge page is on the California Space and Workforce Institute's (CSEWI's) web site; click here.

Friday evening, August 1, 2008:

Full Scale Robotics checks in.

Sam Waldbaum checks out his excavator before the competition.

Terra Engineering's excavator draws attention..

Matt discusses "sand box" issues with the teams.

The teams get a chance to inspect the "sand box" close up. The box contains 8 tons of JSC1A lunar regolith simulant.

The power cable will be fed to the excavators through the pulley.

Matt Everingham (CSA) answers questions from the teams.

Then the judges got a chance to inspect the "sand box". Left to right are pictured Nick Pelster (CSA), Rob Mueller (NASA), Kris Tueller (Lockheed Martin), Joe Minafra (NASA), and Jack Gregg (CSEWI).

LunOrediggers.

Harry Olar shows off team Sandstorm's excavator.

Team of One makes last minute adjustments.

Toy Garden's excavator.

Judges meeting. From far left clockwise: Frank Slazer (Consultant), Jonathan Keith (Empirical Systems Aerospace), Gary Parks and his wife, Matt Everingham (CSA, not a judge), Andrea Seastrand (CSA, not a judge), Andy Petro (NASA), Rob Mueller (NASA), Joe Minafra (NASA), Jack Gregg (CSEWI, head judge), and Kris Tueller (Lockheed Martin).

Saturday, August 2, 2008:

Paul's Robotics (exhibit only).

Dr. Walsh and Dean Noori of Cal Poly Engineering.

Dr. Noori addresses the teams, judges, and spectators at the beginning of the day.

This an audience picture taken during the opening ceremonies. LunOrediggers are in black, and Cal Poly SLObotics are in blue.

There are 8 tons of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant in the "sand box".

Trevor Foster of Empirical Systems Aerospace with two excavator models.

Team Waldbaum successfully finds the ramp.

Next Step Robotics.

A Cal Poly student club display.

The press table.

Closed circuit TV provided spectators with an "in the box" view.

Technology Ranch.

Matt Everingham, "Did I say that?!"

Technology Ranch talking to fans.

LunOrediggers headed to the sandbox for their competition run.

California Space Authority.

As of 11am, no team had successfully moved any regolith into the collector.

Cal Poly/SLObotics and Strike TV.

Brian McGowan from the State of California's Business, Transportation and Housing Agency addressed the spectators.

The audience was kept at a safe distance by a controlled perimeter.

Some campus clubs exhibited around the Challenge, including this booth where kids did some engineering.

Playing with physics.

Andy Petro is the Centennial Challenges Program Manager for NASA.

Astronaut Jim Newman is now with the Naval Postgraduate School. He provided words of praise and encouragement to the teams.

A controller board on Terra Engineering's excavator.

Team of One weighs in.

Installation of navigation aids during the 5-minute set-up period.

Toy Garden weighing in prior to their competition attempt.

The masks are to filter out the very small regolith particles that behave much like smoke when agitated. Judges (left to right): Jonathan Keith, Jack Gregg, Kris Tueller, Frank Slazer, and Gary Parks.

Interviewing Rob Mueller (NASA KSC), and Jerry Sanders (NASA JSC). Andy Petro (NASA, red shirt) listens in.

Boppers.

At this point in the day, all the official competitors had "made their run" at the prize. From here on, teams had time to "play in the sandbox". This is Terra Engineering in the box for a demo run.

David Livingston interviews Andrea Seastrand (CSA) and Janice Dunn (CSA) for his Space Show.

Team Waldbaum back for a demo run.

Moon dirt actually gets moved!

Team of One takes a demo run.

Phil Abel (NASA Glenn) and Jerry Sanders (NASA JSC).

At the Saturday evening banquet, Andrea Seastrand (CSA) gives each competitor present a chance to say a few words. Above she interviews Jim Greenhaw of Technology Ranch.