Today marks the launch of the 2015 MOONBOTS Challenge, an international competition sponsored by XPRIZE and Google that invites kids to design, create and program their own lunar rover.
Often referred to as the “Google Lunar XPRIZE for Kids,” this year’s MOONBOTS Challenge is offering an extraordinary Grand Prize: a trip to Japan to meet the actual Google Lunar XPRIZE teams competing for a $30 million prize purse to land a privately funded robot on the moon.
Generating excitement about the new Moon race while promoting STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and team building, MOONBOTS aims to inspire and engage the next generation of space explorers, adventurers and innovators. Since its inception in 2010, MOONBOTS has challenged thousands of kids from around the world to use their imagination and creativity in a game of skill that’s engaging, collaborative and educational.
This year, teams of 2-4 members (ages 8-17) and one team captain at least 18-years old will be asked to write a story or create a video essay explaining what inspires them about the Moon. Thirty teams will then be selected by a panel of experts to move on to the next stage of the competition, where they will be required to design a lunar landscape, as well as build and program a robot.
In addition, MOONBOT teams must come up with game play that simulates a lunar mission for their robots and then demonstrate their innovation to children and adults in their community. This public outreach builds confidence for team members, teaches audiences about the Moon and the Google Lunar XPRIZE, and demonstrates how STEM education can be fun.
By inspiring and encouraging today’s youth, MOONBOTS 2015 hopes to help create the next generation of coders, innovators, space explorers and dreamers. Find out more about the 2015 MOONBOTS Challenge and register a team today.
Disclosure: GeekDad is a partner in the 2015 MOONBOTS Challenge.
