Space Tech Travels to NASA BIG Idea Forum
The ACRE: Autonomous Casting RovEr (Space Tech) team traveled to Cleveland, Ohio this November for the culminating forum of the 2023 NASA BIG Idea Challenge. The team was one of seven from universities around the country who presented the results of their research since finalist teams and funding awards were announced in early March 2023.
The team presented its work to validate its Autonomous Casting RovEr concept, a system for the construction of landing pads and roads over large areas of the lunar surface via the in-situ casting of metal-based feedstocks. ACRE will function by heating feedstock to a liquid state using concentrated solar energy before depositing batches of the molten material directly into molds formed on the lunar surface by the rover’s plow as it drives along. Furthermore, ACRE packs its entire manufacturing process (energy collection, heat generation, feedstock storage, deposition, and mold forming) into the form factor of a self-sufficient and mobile rover, enabling it to autonomously operate for extended periods of time for fabrication across vast areas of the lunar surface without astronaut involvement.
The ACRE: Autonomous Casting RovEr team after their final forum presentation
The team’s presentation to a panel of judges from NASA and industry partners was recognized with the competition’s System’s Engineering Award.
The team at the competition forum awards luncheon
The forum also featured a tour of the facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center. Members of the team had the opportunity to view a variety of laboratories and test facilities, including the Simulated Lunar Operations (SLOPE) facility and Electric Propulsion and Power Laboratory (EPPL).
Simulated Lunar Operations (SLOPE) facility at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
If you would like to read more about the team’s experience at the forum, view the McCormick feature here.
NUSTARS Space Tech recently kicked off its work for the 2024 BIG Idea Challenge: Inflatable Systems for Lunar Operations, which challenges teams to “design, develop, and demonstrate novel uses of low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) inflatable technologies, structures, and systems for lunar operations.” Interested in joining the team? Join #space-tech-general in the NUSTARS Slack and complete the information form here!
