NASA to host $1.5 million autonomous rover contest next month

NASA is hosting a competition for autonomous rovers, dubbed as the Sample Return Robot Challenge, at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts next month. The challenge, one of the many projects that NASA is sponsoring, was originally announced in 2010. NASA is looking for an autonomous rover that can be sent on planetary missions in the future. The Sample Return Robot Challenge will involve unmanned robots – approximately 1.5 cubic meters and 175 pounds – that are capable of navigating and exploring varied terrains and environments while searching and collecting items.

Ubergizmo, NASA to host $1.5 million autonomous rover contest next month