NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Some pedaled across the finish line with ease, while others had to be pulled across. But they accomplished their goal -- finishing the grueling half-mile Moonbuggy course. Something they hope is much easier for future lunar explorers.

Students came to Huntsville, Ala., from 19 states and Puerto Rico to take turns racing their well-crafted Moonbuggies -- vehicles powered by one male and one female and inspired by those that roamed the lunar surface in the 1970s.

Images right: Team from Lafayette County High School in Missouri goes airborne and then makes a hard landing during the 11th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race. View 2004 Great Moonbuggy Race photos

But rugged simulated lunar terrain at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville tested the mettle of their buggies. Their first challenge was to get their Moonbuggy out of a 4-foot-by-4-foot box, assemble it and get it to the starting line in the fastest time. Then, with the sound of a horn, they were off to tackle the steep hills, bumpy obstacles and even a huge rocky Moon crater.

For 11 years, NASA's Great Moonbuggy Race has provided excitement to the finish, and this year was no different. In the high school division it came down to the wire between the two-time defending champs from Higginsville, Mo., and a persistent team from New Orleans, La. The New Orleans team prevailed; topping 25 others representing high schools from 10 states. The winning time was 4 minutes, 14 seconds. In addition to the first-place honor, New Orleans Area School Team 1 earned a weekend trip to Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The team from Carlisle County High School of Bardwell, Ky., tied for second with Lafayette County High School Team 1 of Higginsville, Mo. -- the winning team for the past two years -- with a 4:40 time. A team from New Century Technology High School in Huntsville, Ala., placed third with its time of 6:43.

And it wasn't all about the time. There were other awards for outstanding accomplishments during the competition. For their lunar positioning system, the team from the Huntsville Center for Technology took home the "Most Unique" award. The award for best Moonbuggy design went to Team 1 of Lafayette County High School. A special "Pits Award" for ingenuity and persistence in overcoming problems was presented to the team from Franklin County High School in Winchester, Tenn.

Image right: New Orleans Area High School team wins top high school honors in 11th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race. View 2004 Great Moonbuggy Race photos

For the second consecutive year, the team from North Dakota State University in Fargo led the field in the race's college division. North Dakota State's Team 1 topped 26 other college and university teams from 13 states and Puerto Rico with a winning time of 3 minutes and 46 seconds. In addition to the first-place honor, the North Dakota State team earned a cash award. The team from Cornell University of Ithaca, N.Y., finished second with a time of 4:23, while Arizona State University Team 1 of Tempe placed third with a 5:20 time.

The award for "Best Engineering Design" went to Utah State University in Logan. The "Most Unique" award also went to Utah State for the use of carbon fiber reinforced composite material in their Moonbuggy. A team from University of Evansville in Indiana was honored with a special "Pits Award" for ingenuity and persistence in overcoming problems. Plus, a special "Crash and Burn" award, given for handling adversity, went to Cameron University of Lawton, Okla., for surviving the buckling of their Moonbuggy while trying to negotiate one of the tough lunar obstacles on the course.

Image right: North Dakota State University team Fargo cruises to college victory at the 11th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race. View 2004 Great Moonbuggy Race photos

Although such an incident as that never happened on the Moon, this event is based on reality -- inspired by the actual lunar roving vehicle project which was successfully accomplished by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville during the 1960s and 1970s. NASA engineers had the challenge to design and build a compact, light, flexible and durable vehicle that would carry astronauts on the Moon's surface during the Apollo missions.

As these students take home what they have learned from the race, they are supporting the Vision for Space Exploration. Learning how to deal with real-world engineering problems gives students an experience that could pay off in fulfilling America's vision to return humans to the Moon and journey to Mars and beyond.

For more information, see also:
+ Moonbuggy News Release: High School Winners
+ Moonbuggy Photo Release: High School Winners
+ Moonbuggy News Release: College Winners
+ Moonbuggy Photo Release: College Winners
+ 2004 Moonbuggy Race
+ NASA Education Programs

Contacts:
Martin Jensen, Marshall Space Flight Center
256.544.0034