4 min read<\/p>\n
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cover1-herc2025.png?w=1275\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nThe cover of the HERC 2025 handbook, which is now available online.<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBy Wayne Smith<\/em><\/p>\nFollowing a 2024 competition that garnered international attention, NASA is expanding its Human Exploration Rover Challenge<\/a> (HERC) to include a remote control division and inviting middle school students to participate.<\/p>\nThe 31st annual competition is scheduled for April 11-12, 2025, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, near NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center<\/a> in Huntsville, Alabama. HERC is managed by NASA\u2019s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement<\/a> at Marshall. The HERC 2025 Handbook<\/a> has been released, with guidelines for the new remote control (RC) division \u2013 ROVR (Remote-Operated Vehicular Research) \u2013 and detailing updates for the human-powered division.<\/p>\n\u201cOur RC division significantly lowers the barrier to entry for schools who don\u2019t have access to manufacturing facilities, have less funding, or who are motivated to compete but don\u2019t have the technical mentorship required to design and manufacture a safe human-powered rover,\u201d said Chris Joren, HERC technical coordinator. \u201cWe are also opening up HERC to middle school students for the first time. The RC division is inherently safer and less physically intensive, so we invite middle school teams and organizations to submit a proposal to be a part of HERC 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another change for 2025 is the removal of task sites on the course for the human-powered rover division, allowing teams to focus on their rover\u2019s design. Recognized as NASA\u2019s leading international student challenge, the 2025 challenge aims to put competitors in the mindset of the Artemis campaign as they pitch an engineering design for a lunar terrain vehicle \u2013 they are astronauts piloting a vehicle, exploring the lunar surface while overcoming various obstacles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe HERC team wanted to put together a challenge that allows students to gain 21st century skills, workforce readiness skills, and skills that are transferable<\/a>,\u201d said Vemitra Alexander, HERC activity lead. \u201cThe students have opportunities to learn and apply the engineering design process model, gain public speaking skills, participate in community outreach, and learn the art of collaborating with their peers. I am very excited about HERC\u2019s growth and the impact it has on the students we serve nationally and internationally.\u201d<\/p>\nStudents interested in designing, developing, building, and testing rovers for Moon and Mars exploration are invited to submit their proposals to NASA through Sept. 19.<\/p>\n
More than 1,000 students with 72 teams from around the world participated in the 2024 challenge<\/a> as HERC celebrated its 30th anniversary as a NASA competition. Participating\u00a0teams<\/a>\u00a0represented 42 colleges and\u00a0universities and 30 high schools from 24 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 13 other nations from around the world.<\/p>\n\u201cWe saw a massive jump in recognition, not only from within the agency as NASA Chief Technologist A.C. Charania attended the event, but with several of our international teams meeting dignitaries and ambassadors from their home countries to cheer them on,\u201d Joren said. \u201cThe most impressive thing will always be the dedication and resilience of the students and their mentors. No matter what gets thrown at these students, they still roll up to the start line singing songs and waving flags.\u201d<\/p>\n
HERC is one of NASA\u2019s eight Artemis Student Challenges<\/a> reflecting the goals of the Artemis<\/a> campaign, which seeks to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon while establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration. NASA uses such challenges to encourage students to pursue degrees and careers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.\u00a0<\/p>\nSince its inception in 1994, more than 15,000 students have participated in HERC \u2013 with many former students<\/a> now working at NASA, or within the aerospace industry.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\nTo learn more about HERC, please visit:\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cover1-herc2025.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>By Wayne Smith<\/em><\/p>\n Following a 2024 competition that garnered international attention, NASA is expanding its Human Exploration Rover Challenge<\/a> (HERC) to include a remote control division and inviting middle school students to participate.<\/p>\n The 31st annual competition is scheduled for April 11-12, 2025, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, near NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center<\/a> in Huntsville, Alabama. HERC is managed by NASA\u2019s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement<\/a> at Marshall. The HERC 2025 Handbook<\/a> has been released, with guidelines for the new remote control (RC) division \u2013 ROVR (Remote-Operated Vehicular Research) \u2013 and detailing updates for the human-powered division.<\/p>\n \u201cOur RC division significantly lowers the barrier to entry for schools who don\u2019t have access to manufacturing facilities, have less funding, or who are motivated to compete but don\u2019t have the technical mentorship required to design and manufacture a safe human-powered rover,\u201d said Chris Joren, HERC technical coordinator. \u201cWe are also opening up HERC to middle school students for the first time. The RC division is inherently safer and less physically intensive, so we invite middle school teams and organizations to submit a proposal to be a part of HERC 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n Another change for 2025 is the removal of task sites on the course for the human-powered rover division, allowing teams to focus on their rover\u2019s design. Recognized as NASA\u2019s leading international student challenge, the 2025 challenge aims to put competitors in the mindset of the Artemis campaign as they pitch an engineering design for a lunar terrain vehicle \u2013 they are astronauts piloting a vehicle, exploring the lunar surface while overcoming various obstacles.<\/p>\n \u201cThe HERC team wanted to put together a challenge that allows students to gain 21st century skills, workforce readiness skills, and skills that are transferable<\/a>,\u201d said Vemitra Alexander, HERC activity lead. \u201cThe students have opportunities to learn and apply the engineering design process model, gain public speaking skills, participate in community outreach, and learn the art of collaborating with their peers. I am very excited about HERC\u2019s growth and the impact it has on the students we serve nationally and internationally.\u201d<\/p>\n Students interested in designing, developing, building, and testing rovers for Moon and Mars exploration are invited to submit their proposals to NASA through Sept. 19.<\/p>\n More than 1,000 students with 72 teams from around the world participated in the 2024 challenge<\/a> as HERC celebrated its 30th anniversary as a NASA competition. Participating\u00a0teams<\/a>\u00a0represented 42 colleges and\u00a0universities and 30 high schools from 24 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 13 other nations from around the world.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw a massive jump in recognition, not only from within the agency as NASA Chief Technologist A.C. Charania attended the event, but with several of our international teams meeting dignitaries and ambassadors from their home countries to cheer them on,\u201d Joren said. \u201cThe most impressive thing will always be the dedication and resilience of the students and their mentors. No matter what gets thrown at these students, they still roll up to the start line singing songs and waving flags.\u201d<\/p>\n HERC is one of NASA\u2019s eight Artemis Student Challenges<\/a> reflecting the goals of the Artemis<\/a> campaign, which seeks to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon while establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration. NASA uses such challenges to encourage students to pursue degrees and careers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since its inception in 1994, more than 15,000 students have participated in HERC \u2013 with many former students<\/a> now working at NASA, or within the aerospace industry.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n To learn more about HERC, please visit:\u00a0<\/p>\n