Overview
The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) 2024 is a prestigious global competition where teams design, build, and race human-powered rovers through a simulated extraterrestrial terrain at the US Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama. As the Team Lead of the North South University Human Exploration Rover Challenge Team (NSUHERC), I led a dedicated team of six students in designing and constructing an innovative human-powered rover that earned a place among the 72 finalist teams worldwide.
Achievements
NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge 2024 Finalist
Competed at the Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama in April 2024.
Designed and built a functional human-powered rover, tackling design constraints and engineering challenges.
Showcased innovation and teamwork among leading international teams.
Leadership & Teamwork
Spearheaded NSUHERC from July 2023 – May 2024.
Conducted rigorous design, testing, and prototyping to ensure rover functionality and durability.
Collaborated with Dr. Mohammad Abdul Qayum to optimize engineering solutions and project execution.
STEM Engagement & Outreach
Organized STEM seminars at North South University and Daffodil International University, reaching over 1,000 attendees.
Presented the team’s achievements and NASA challenge experience to inspire future engineers and innovators.
Project Overview & Limitations
The NASA HERC 2024 demanded rigorous planning, technical expertise, and effective teamwork to meet its demanding requirements. We designed and constructed a functional rover with features such as a foldable aluminum chassis, adaptive wheel systems, and modular drivetrain mechanisms. Additionally, our team developed a multi-task tool to accomplish competition objectives.
Despite our efforts, certain limitations impacted our performance:
- Incomplete Subsystems: Several key components, such as the gear-shifting mechanism and hydraulic braking system, were not fully operational during the competition.
- Simulation Constraints: Due to time constraints, we could not conduct pre-construction simulations, which limited our ability to predict performance issues.
- Resource Challenges: Limited manpower and resources posed hurdles in fabrication and testing. Only 4 of our students got a US visa to participate in the in-person contest.
- Learning Curve: As this was our first participation, adapting to competition standards and last-minute technical adjustments proved challenging.
Collaboration & Community Engagement
During the competition, we collaborated with Rovernauts, a team from Germany, sharing knowledge, technical insights, and experiences to refine our rover designs. Additionally, we had the incredible opportunity to meet and interact with the Bangladeshi community in Huntsville, strengthening connections and fostering a sense of pride in representing Bangladesh on an international stage.
Conclusion
Participating in NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge 2024 was an exhilarating experience that reinforced my leadership, engineering, and project management skills. It was an honor to represent North South University and Bangladesh on a global stage, pushing the boundaries of innovation and space exploration.
