MoonBots, the XPrize-sponsored event, which challenges kids to replicate the Lunar XPrize with LEGO Mindstorms kits, has recently announced their 25 finalists who will be moving on to the second (and final) phase of the competition.
The 25 lucky teams, which hail from the United States, Thailand, Spain, Brazil, Netherlands, India, Egypt, Australia, Greece, and the United Kingdom, will now be tasked with creating a game plan on a LEGO lunar landscape and building robots that can complete their games. There are a number of tasks the teams must accomplish in their games, but how they approach and complete the tasks is up to the individual teams.
What’s more, the teams are also required to conduct some outreach in their communities, spreading the word about robotics and space exploration, and also demonstrating their games and robots. Both the lunar landscapes and Mindstorms kits are given to each of the 25 finalist teams as part of a prize package.
The teams have until mid-August to complete the phase two requirements and each group will be judged on their solutions and performances during individual live judging sessions. The winning team will be announced soon after and that group will be awarded a grand prize, which includes a trip for the entire team to visit the Pacific International Space Center for Exploratory Systems (PISCES) in Hilo, Hawaii.
GeekDad, which is once again a sponsor of the competition, congratulates all 299 teams (and 1100+ participants) from 24 countries who participated in the first phase of the competition and wish the 25 finalists the best of luck as they prepare for the final phase of the competition!
