The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge Awards will be presented virtually in a ceremony April 16, in lieu of the annual in-person event. The safety and protection of the student teams, the NASA workforce, and all those supporting the competition is NASA’s top priority. In an effort to comply with federal guidance and help restrict the spread of COVID-19, the in-person competition excursions that are typically held in the spring will not take place, but awards will be given to reward the work that teams have and will complete.
For more than 25 years, the annual NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge and its sponsors have encouraged student teams from the United States and around the world to push the limits of innovation and imagine what it will take to explore the Moon, Mars, and other worlds. Although NASA will not be able to host teams in person this year, the students have gained significant value from the engineering, teamwork, and project tasks they have already completed.
Teams will be able to join the virtual awards ceremony as a group or from individual locations. Details will be distributed to teams closer to time. Awards will be given for Overall Winner, Project Review, Social Media, Rookie of the Year, Task Challenge, and STEM Engagement. Teams should reach out to the HERC staff with any questions or for more details.
HERC is managed by the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. The competition reflects the goals of the Artemis program, which seeks to put the first woman and next man on the Moon. It is one of the seven Artemis Student Challenges. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement uses to further the agency’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
For more information about NASA’s Artemis Student Challenges, visit: