Launch of the UK Lunabotics Challenge

We are excited to announce the launch of the UK Lunabotics Challenge. Student teams from the UK higher education institutions are invited to apply Systems Engineering principles to design and build a prototype off-world construction robot. Participants will develop a robot capable of performing construction operations that support future space exploration objectives, while gaining key engineering and management skills to improve their employability prospects.

The launch event will take place at the Walton Hall campus of the Open University in Milton Keynes (MK7 6AA) on Monday, 6th October 2025, between 9 am and 4 pm. It is a joint initiative between The Open University, NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), with support from corporate sponsor Caterpillar Inc. It is aimed at engaging students and staff from all eligible UK HEIs.

The competition will run during the 2025-2026 academic year (Oct 2025 to July 2026) and will follow the same model and approach as its US counterpart, which has been running for over 15 years.

See here for more details on the US Lunabotics: https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/lunabotics-challenge/

2024 Recap Videos

KSC

UCF

2025 Livestream Videos

UCF – Day 1, Day2, Day 3

KSC – Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

Members of a couple of US teams who have been participating in the US Challenge over the years have accepted our invitation to attend the inaugural event and showcase their robot in the OU Moon Yard, which will be used for the actual competition in May/June 2026 (TBC) and offer tips and lessons learned for the aspiring UK teams.

The launch event is free to attend, but advance registration is required as places are limited. Some parts of the launch event may happen in a hybrid mode, but an in-person presence is highly recommended to witness the demonstration of a US team’s robot performing a construction task at the OU Moon Yard.

More details on the entry requirements, rules and timeline etc. for the competition will be provided on 6th October, and the interested teams will also be able to register their interest in participating in the competition.

We look forward to seeing you for the UK Lunabotics launch event at the Open University.

Best Wishes,

Mahesh Anand

Chair, UK Lunabotics

Professor of Planetary Science and Exploration

The Open University