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By NASA
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, executive director of the Space Science Center at Morehead State University, left, listens as NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon talks about NASA’s exploration efforts.Credit: Morehead State University NASA’s Glenn Research Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon met with students and faculty at Morehead State University (MSU) in Kentucky on Sept. 19. Kenyon provided the keynote address on the topic of NASA’s exploration efforts and regional economic impact during the ASTRA-Con (Appalachian Space Technology & Research Advancement Conference). He also moderated a panel, which included Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef Lead Dr. Randy Lillard, MSU’s Dr. Pamela Clark (formerly of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center), and Glenn European Service Module Manager Logan Larson.
Morehead State University (MSU)’s Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, right, shows NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon and others on tour the anechoic (echo-free) chamber used in support of MSU’s 21-meter Deep Space Network. Credit: Morehead State University Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, executive director of the Space Science Center at MSU, provided Kenyon, along with House Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Hal Rogers’ staff and members of industry, with a tour of the space center and its capabilities. Kenyon learned about MSU’s space systems engineering program where students gain hands-on experience designing, constructing, and testing satellites before they launch into space.
Members of NASA Glenn’s Technology Transfer Office also staffed an informative exhibit during the conference.
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
This video shows IPEx in the digital simulation environment.Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben/Beverly Jensen Space is hard, but it’s not all hardware.
The new Lunar Autonomy Challenge invites teams of students from U.S. colleges and universities to test their software development skills. Working entirely in virtual simulations of the Moon’s surface, teams will develop an autonomous agent using software that can accomplish pre-defined tasks without help from humans. These agents will be used to navigate a digital twin of NASA’s ISRU Pilot Excavator (IPEx) and map specified locations in the digital environment. The IPEx is an autonomous mobility robot engineered to efficiently collect and transport lunar regolith, the loose rocky material on the Moon’s surface.
Autonomous systems allow spacecraft, rovers, and robots to operate without relying on constant contact with astronauts or mission control. Before hardware is trusted to operate independently on location, which for Artemis missions includes the Moon, it must be tested virtually. High-fidelity virtual simulations allow NASA to anticipate and improve how systems, both software and hardware, will function in the physical world. Testing in virtual simulations also allows technologists to explore different mission scenarios, observe potential outcomes, and reduce risks.
In the Lunar Autonomy Challenge, students will develop their knowledge of autonomous systems by working with the same simulation tools created in-house by Caterpillar Inc. of Irving, Texas, over decades of research and development. Teams will need to utilize the IPEx digital twin’s cameras and orientation sensors to accurately map surface elevation and identify obstacles. Like with real lunar missions, teams must also manage their energy usage and consider the Moon’s harsh terrain and low-light conditions. Through the competition, participants will learn more about autonomous robotic operation, surface mapping, localization, orientation, path planning, and hazard detection.
Eligibility
Teams must be comprised of at least four undergraduate and/or graduate students and a faculty advisor at a U.S. college or university.
Challenge Timeline & Structure
The challenge will take place between November 2024 and May 2025 and will include both a qualifying round and a final round. Interested teams must apply by Thursday, Nov. 7.
Round 1: Selected teams will develop and train their agent using provided virtual environments. Teams will have three opportunities to submit their agent to run in a qualification environment. For each submission, their agent will be scored based on performance.
The top scoring teams will be invited to continue. Round 2: Teams will work to further refine the agents. Teams will have multiple opportunities in total to submit their agents to the competition environment. The top three teams will be named challenge winners. Challenge Guidelines
Interested teams should carefully review the Challenge Guidelines and the Lunar Autonomy Challenge site for more details, including proposal requirements, FAQs, and additional technical guidance.
Prizes
The top three highest-scoring teams on the leaderboard in the finals will be awarded cash prizes:
First Place: $10,000
Second Place: $5,000
Third Place: $3,000
Application Submissions
Applications must be submitted to NASA STEM Gateway by Nov. 7, 2024.
Learn more about the challenge: https://lunar-autonomy-challenge.jhuapl.edu
The Lunar Autonomy Challenge is a collaboration between NASA, The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), Caterpillar Inc., and Embodied AI. APL is managing the challenge for NASA.
NASA’s ISRU Pilot Excavator (IPEx) during a flight-like demonstration at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Swamp Works testing facility. Credit: NASA Authored by: Stephanie Yeldell, Education Integration Lead
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By NASA
Learn Home Culturally Inclusive Planetary… Biological & Physical… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science 2 min read
Culturally Inclusive Planetary Engagement in Colorado
In August 2024, the NASA Science Activation program’s Planetary Resources and Content Heroes (ReaCH) project held a Culturally Inclusive Planetary Engagement workshop at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder, Colorado for the planetary science community. These workshops are designed to enhance the ability of scientists to engage Black and Latinx youth and their families in planetary science. Workshops include discussions with local educators about evidence-based engagement strategies and experiences conducting hands-on planetary science activities, along with an opportunity to practice these approaches during an event with local partners.
Planetary scientists and engineers from Boulder, as well as scientists from Florida, Maryland, and Alaska participated. ReaCH partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, whose staff participated in the workshop to share their perspectives. Other educators local to the Denver area also participated, along with an educational specialist from NASA@ My Library (another Science Activation program). The workshop culminated in an event at the Shopneck Boys & Girls Club in Brighton, CO; workshop participants facilitated a variety of hands-on planetary activities for approximately 120 children. Workshop participants also shared information about college pathways into science professions with teenagers at the Club.
During feedback with evaluators, workshop participants shared, “I got to have hands-on experience working with an underserved population, which I haven’t done before in a workshop. I think this is the necessary next step for me. I am tired of just learning about things. I want to DO things. This gave me the ability to do it without setting up everything myself.”
Through careful revisions to these workshops and detailed evaluation, the Planetary ReaCH project is building a replicable model that will be used to support similar workshops for other science fields. Members of the planetary and astrobiology community are invited to apply to attend future ReaCH workshops.
Planetary ReaCH is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC21M0003 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
Workshop participants experimented with activities such as this model of impact cratering. Share
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Last Updated Oct 03, 2024 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms
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By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
President and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation Jose Antonio Tijerino, left, and NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, sign a Space Act Agreement between the HHF and NASA to collaborate and expand STEM opportunities for Latino K-12 and university students and reduce barriers to agency activities and opportunities, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, at the NASA Headquarters Mary W. Jackson Building in Washington.NASA/Bill Ingalls During an event at NASA Headquarters in Washington Monday, the agency and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation signed a Space Act Agreement to collaborate and expand STEM opportunities for Latino K-12 and university students and reduce barriers to agency activities and opportunities.
The signing is the latest in a series of efforts by NASA to expand access to STEM education for underrepresented communities across the nation.
“Through this agreement, NASA and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation are not just formalizing a partnership; we are igniting a commitment to innovation that will shape the future of our endeavors,” said Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “This initiative will help build a diverse future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce, showcasing our commitment to making America’s space agency accessible to all.”
As part of the agreement, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation will incorporate NASA STEM education resources, content, and themes into its Latinos on the Fast Track (LOFT) program, which aims to connect, inspire, and empower young Latino professionals and college students on their career journey. In turn, NASA will provide access to aerospace STEM education professionals to support technical reviews for the development of new curriculum materials and facilitate information sharing with NASA experts and mentors who will lead presentations and workshops to expose students to STEM careers.
“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is thrilled to partner with NASA to expand STEM opportunities and expose Latinos to career pathways in aerospace and space travel,” said Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “This innovative partnership with NASA will allow us to expand our mission even beyond our planet!”
While initial efforts will be led by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, the umbrella agreement also allows for further collaboration and partnership in the future. Specifically, the agency and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation will look to support certain areas of NASA’s Equity Action Plan.
NASA works to explore the secrets of the universe and solve the world’s most complex problems, which requires creating space for all people to participate in and learn from its work in space. Providing access to opportunities where young minds can be curious and see themselves potentially at NASA and beyond is how the agency will continue to inspire the next generation of STEM innovators.
For more information on how NASA inspires students to pursue STEM visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources
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