The NASA Robotic mining competition invites colleges from across the U.S. to build and compete robot excavators that mine a simulated lunar dirt and deposit it in a collection bin.
In the future these rovers would be the first step for in-situ resource utilization on the moon and mars. Once the regolith is collected it goes into machines that extract the elements that build rocket fuel, water, and oxygen. This club is where I learned a large portion of my skills as a machinist and design engineer. Coming into the club I had only woodworking experience but over the 4 years I was involved I learned about and executed many advanced manufacturing techniques. The skills I gained from this group are what got me my job at the Boyd Lab machine shop. |