The team from Storming Robots has entered into the finals of the 2011 ZeroRobotics Competition, which is held by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and NASA. A total of 149 teams from Europe and the USA participated in the competition where the task was to write software for controlling mini satellites used on the International Space Station (ISS).
The finalists will be able to watch live video streaming of their programmes being run on the satellite aboard the ISS. One of the ISS astronauts will perform the role of referee.
The intensive schedule of the competition required participants to submit their entries twice during the month of October for the purpose of simulated competition. Out of the 149 teams, fifty teams moved on to the semi-final round where they were required to form alliances with other teams thus forming a total of three teams. Storming Robots formed an alliance with teams from Texas and Maryland. The second round of the competition involved coding, math calculations and strategic enhancement. Nine teams have been selected for the finals and the team from Storming Robots has the third rank among US teams. Each satellite aboard the ISS is equipped with its own computing and navigation equipment and its own power and propulsion.
At present, Storming Robots has a strength of 140 students. The robotics program from the institution aims to reinforce computational education and engineering in young people.
Source: http://www.stormingrobots.com