After a hiatus last year, the popular Mindstorms competition, MoonBots, returns this year — bigger and better than ever. The XPrize-sponsored event, which challenges kids to replicate the Lunar XPrize with LEGO Mindstorms kits, opened registration for its fourth competition this weekend.
To enter, a team only needs an adult captain and two to five competitors between the ages of nine and seventeen. During the first phase of the competition, teams will submit a video essay answering the question “Why do we need to go back to the moon for good?” and a testimonial from someone (a teacher, neighbor, friend, etc.) who has seen the video.
Twenty-five teams will advance from the first phase and be given a variety of sensors and components, as well as an EV3 Mindstorms set. They will then be challenged to design a lunar landscape that fulfills conditions laid out in the rules, then engineer a Mindstorms robot that accomplishes certain goals. They must also submit a video essay.
All of these items will be judged and the winner will be awarded a huge prize pack, including a trip to Hawaii to visit the Pacific International Space Center for Exploratory Systems. Runners up will also score some nice gear.
MoonBots is a great competition and one that helps grow kids’ understanding of robotics and STEM. Plus, it’s free to participate, so what are you waiting for? Register your team today!
