NASA Announces 32nd Annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge Winners

NASA’s 32nd annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge, one of the agency’s longest-running student challenges, culminated April 10-11 with its final excursion to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Lasting nine months, the challenge asks teams of students from around the world to design, build and test a lunar rover powered either by human pilots or by remote control. The annual competition concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing the best performing teams.

In the human-powered division, Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas, won first place in the high school division, while the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri, won the middle school and university title. In the remote control division, Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine, took first place in the middle and high school division, and the University of Alabama at Huntsville, in Huntsville, Alabama, took the middle and university title.

More than 500 students representing 42 teams from around the world participated in the 32nd annual competition. The teams included students from 28 colleges and universities, 13 high schools, and one middle school spanning 18 U.S. states, Puerto Rico,

Teams were graded on their ability to navigate a half-mile obstacle course, complete mission-specific challenges and pass several safety and design reviews conducted by NASA engineers, with awards given in the human-powered and remote-control divisions.

“This challenge gives students a hands-on opportunity to think like engineers and problem solvers, applying real-world design principles to complex exploration scenarios,” said Vemitra Alexander, who leads the Human Exploration Rover Challenge for NASA’s STEM Engagement Office in Marshall. “By encouraging innovation and teamwork, we help prepare the next generation to contribute to missions that will take us further into space.” »

Here is the full list of winners:

• First Place: Episcopal Parish School, Dallas, Texas
• Second place: Kealakehe High School, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
• Third place: Debbie Smith Career and Technical Education Academy, Reno, Nevada

• First Place: University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri
• Second Place: Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
• Third Place: University of Alabama at Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama

• First place: Gould Academy, Bethel, Maine
• Second place: SoulPhamm, South Plainfield, New Jersey
• Third place: Space and Engineering Technologies Academy, San Antonio, Texas

• First Place: University of Alabama at Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama
• Second Place: South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota
• Third place: Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida

• Gould Academy, Bethel, Maine

• Remote
  • Middle/High School Division: Gould Academy, Bethel, Maine
  • College/University Division: University of Alabama at Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama
• Human Powered
  • High School Division: Episcopal Parish School, Dallas, Texas
  • College/University Division: Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island

• Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

• Human Powered
  • High School Division: Episcopal Parish School, Dallas, Texas
  • College/University Division: Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
• Remote
  • Middle/High School Division: Gould Academy, Bethel, Maine
  • College/University Division: University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC

• Human Powered
  • High School Division: Episcopal Parish School, Dallas, Texas
  • College/University Division: University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri
• Remote
  • Middle/High School Division: SoulPhamm, South Plainfield, New Jersey
  • College/University Division: University of Alabama at Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama

• Human Powered
  • High School Division: Erie High School, Erie, Colorado
  • College/University Division: Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Remote
  • Middle/High School Division: Gould Academy, Bethel, Maine

• Human Powered
  • Secondary School Division: Debbie Smith Career and Technical Education Academy, Reno, Nevada
  • College/University Division: Universidad Aeronáutica en Querétaro, Coyote, Mexico
• Remote
  • Middle/High School Division: Chaminade High School, Mineola, New York
  • College/University Division: ATLAS SkillTech University, Mumbai, India

• Human Powered
  • Secondary School Division: Albertville Innovation Academy, Albertville, Alabama
  • College/University Division: Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Remote
  • Middle/High School Division: Space and Engineering Technologies Academy, San Antonio, Texas
  • College/University Division: ATLAS SkillTech University, Mumbai, India

• Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

• The University of Alabama at Huntsville (human powered), Huntsville, Alabama

• Human Powered
  • High School Division: Kealakehe High School, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
  • College/University Division: University of Alabama at Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama
• Remote
  • Middle/High School Division: Gould Academy, Bethel, Maine
  • College/University Division: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina

• High School Division: Episcopal Parish School, Dallas, Texas
• College/University Division: University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri

• High School Division: Erie High School, Erie, Colorado
• College/University Division: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina

• Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina

The Rover Challenge is one of eight NASA Artemis Student Challenges, reflecting the goals of the Artemis program, which will land Americans on the Moon while establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration, preparing for future human missions to Mars. NASA uses these challenges to encourage students to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The competition is managed by the NASA Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Marshall. Since its inception in 1994, more than 15,000 students have participated, including many former students working at NASA or in the aerospace industry.

Learn more about the Human Exploration Rover Challenge.