Zero Robotics
≈ 4 min read
Names in other languages
No names in other languages are held for this entry yet.
Article bodies are English and are not machine-translated. A name in another language is not a translation of the article.
Zero Robotics is an international high school programming competition where students control robotic SPHERES (Synchronised Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites) aboard the International Space Station. Each year teams of students work to produce code capable of performing in a game that can be deployed on the SPHERES. This game generally contains elements such as docking with objects, moving objects, and destroying targets within a bounded area while monitoring fuel usage. Initial stages of the competition occur online (with virtual SPHERES) with free team registration in the United States, Australia and for ESA member countries and limited registration for international teams. Teams are traditionally monitored by adult mentors and code submitted through the MIT website. Finalists compete in a live championship aboard the ISS. An astronaut conducts the final competition while communicating to teams through a live feed.
Zero Robotics is an international high school programming competition where students control robotic SPHERES (Synchronised Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites) aboard the International Space Station. Each year teams of students work to produce code capable of performing in a game that can be deployed on the SPHERES. This game generally contains elements such as docking with objects, moving objects, and destroying targets within a bounded area while monitoring fuel usage. Initial stages of the competition occur online (with virtual SPHERES) with free team registration in the United States, Australia and for ESA member countries and limited registration for international teams. Teams are traditionally monitored by adult mentors and code submitted through the MIT website. Finalists compete in a live championship aboard the ISS. An astronaut conducts the final competition while communicating to teams through a live feed.
History
The Zero Robotics competition was created by NASA Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff when he was working with the SPHERES and realised that the coding interface would be suitable for high school students. Drawing inspiration from FIRST Robotics, Zero Robotics became a competition that emphasised building science, technology, engineering, and maths skills with a component of cooperation between schools and nations. Its inaugural competition was held in 2009, expansion to the entire US in 2010 and internationally in 2013. It currently includes schools from the US, Russia, ESA affiliated states and Australia.
Past Winners High School Tournament
2025 Lost in Space Finals 1. Team: Quark Charm Storming Robots, Branchburg, NJ, USA 2018 ECO-SPHERES ISS Finals 1. Alliance: Naughty Dark Spaghetti The Dark Team of LSA, IIS "Avogadro" - Liceo Scientifico, Italy Stuy-Naught, Stuyvesant High School, NY, USA Spaghetti Code, Cedarburg High School, WI, USA 2. Alliance: Hit or Miss Proof Robotics, Proof School, CA, USA Crab Nebula, Liceo Cecioni, Italy Rock Rovers, Council Rock High School South, PA, USA 2018 ECO-SPHERES Virtual Finals Alliance: NoSleepGang Valak, Colegiul National ”Octavian Goga” Sibiu, Romania SpaceXD, Parramatta High School, Australia Scholar Spacemen, Sydney Boys High School, Australia 2017 LifeSphere ISS Finals 2016 SpaceSpheres ISS Finals 2015 SpySpheres ISS Finals 2014 CoronaSphere ISS Finals Alliance: LakeElevenVADARS Team Lake, Clear Lake High School, TX, USA Corà's Eleven Liceo G.B.Brocchi, Italy VADARS South Charleston High School, WV, USA 2013 CosmoSPHERES ISS Finals Alliance: y0b0tics! Gru Eagle y0b0tics!, NJ The Grew Cru, TX Cosmic Eagles, MA 2012 RetroSPHERES ISS Finals Alliance: Mira Loma Mira Loma Matadors, CA y0b0tics!, NJ Green Wrenches, WA 2011 AsteroSPHERES ISS Finals Alliance: Rocket River Hill High School, MD Storming Robots, NJ Rock ledge High School, FL
Past Winners High School Tournament (EU)
2013 CosmoSPHERES ISS Finals Alliance: C.O.F.F.E.E. Sunday Programmers, Italy Nemesis Colegio Retamar, Spain Hello World American, France 2012 RetroSPHERES ISS Finals Alliance B.E.E.R. Kathe in Space, Germany Sunday Programmers, Italy Herder-Berlin, Germany
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1376461217 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.