Calling all space enthusiasts! Get ready to witness an incredible display of innovation and engineering prowess as NASA celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Human Exploration Rover Challenge. This prestigious rover competition will be held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge Course in Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20. The best part? It’s free and open to the public!
Imagine more than 600 students from around the world, representing 42 colleges and universities and 30 high schools, utilizing their knowledge and skills to navigate a complex obstacle course. These brilliant young minds will be piloting their very own human-powered vehicles, designed and produced as part of NASA’s engineering design challenge. It’s an event you won’t want to miss!
Media personnel are cordially invited to attend this awe-inspiring event and witness firsthand the ingenuity and determination radiating from these talented students. Whether you’re a journalist looking to cover the competition or an interviewer eager to sit down with the participants, this is an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up. Contact Taylor Goodwin in the Marshall Office of Communications at 938-210-2891 no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, April 18, to secure your spot.
The International Rover Competition has always been a platform for aspiring engineers to showcase their skills, and this year’s event promises to be a milestone celebration. Participants from not only 24 states across the United States but also the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 13 other countries will gather to demonstrate their enthusiastic pursuit of knowledge and their passion for space exploration.
As a testament to their hard work, dedication, and creativity, NASA will host an in-person awards ceremony on Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m. inside the Space Camp Operations Center at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. This grand finale will honor the remarkable achievements of the teams throughout the eight-month-long engineering design project. Awards will be presented for categories such as best rover design, best pit crew, and even best social media presence.
So mark your calendars and get ready for an exhilarating experience! Witness the future of space exploration unfold before your eyes. Join NASA in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the International Rover Competition and support these incredible young minds as they inspire a new generation of engineers and explorers.
Don’t forget to contact Taylor Goodwin in the Marshall Office of Communications at 938-210-2891 no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, April 18, to secure your media access and set up interviews. Remember, you don’t want to miss out on this out-of-this-world opportunity!
See you at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for an incredible showcase of innovation and human ingenuity!
About the Challenge
The Human Exploration Rover Challenge tasks high school, college, and university students around the world to design, build, and test their lightweight, human-powered rovers on a course simulating lunar and Martian terrain, all while completing mission-focused science tasks. Eligible teams compete to be among the top three finishers in their divisions, and to win multiple awards including best vehicle design, best rookie team, and more.
The challenge annually draws hundreds of students from around the world and reflects the goals of NASA’s Artemis campaign, which will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.
The event was launched in 1994 as the NASA Great Moonbuggy Race – a collegiate competition to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. It expanded in 1996 to include high school teams, evolving again in 2014 into the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. Since its inception, more than 15,000 students have participated – with many former students now working in the aerospace industry, including with NASA.
The Human Exploration Rover Challenge is managed by NASA’s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement at Marshall and is one of eight Artemis Student Challenges. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement uses challenges and competitions to further the agency’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
To learn more about the challenge, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/home/index.html
https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
