Aug 31 2010
NASA, in partnership with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has launched a robotics programming competition called ‘Zero Robotics’ for high school students.
The task given by NASA to students is to develop a software to run small spherical satellites called SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites) found flying inside the cabin of the space station. These satellites are incorporated with various equipments for power, propulsion, calculating and steering purposes. They help to analyze the spacecraft regarding its efficiency in performing various automated assignments. The competition demands the teams to meet the tasks of the spacecraft including satellite holding, design and flight configuration.
Limited pilot program of this competition has been completed by the end of 2009. The extended pilot called HelioSPHERES features high school students all over the country who are in the 2010 - 2011 academic year. The goal of the program is to build vital engineering skills for students including problem resolving, effective designing, operations training and team work, thereby transforming them to efficient future scientists and engineers.
High school teams have to complete the registration by September 10 and the first 100 teams are supposed to submit their complete proposals before September 14. Among these teams, twenty teams will be selected for the next level at MIT which involves simulation and ground based testing of the software. The top 10 teams’ proposals will be sent to NASA. The astronaut will run the programs in SPHERES satellites and the winner will be determined by the end of the live session.
Source: http://www.nasa.gov