Calling all talented programmers from the Asia Pacific region and the United States! JAXA is seeking your expertise to develop innovative programs that can control Astrobee, a free-flying robot on the International Space Station (ISS), and effectively seal leaks using its laser pointer.

Due to the limited number of programs that can be uploaded to Astrobee, JAXA is inviting top contenders to participate in a competition to identify the most promising solutions. Int-Ball, a camera drone, will assist Astrobee in this critical mission.

Join us in this exciting endeavor and showcase your programming prowess to make a significant contribution to ISS operations. Let’s work together to harness the power of Astrobee and safeguard the ISS from potential hazards.

STEMX365 launched 1st KRPC in Bangladesh in 2020 just before the pandemic. Bangladesh students joined in this program as an observer country. 

STEMX365 trained Bangladesh students in writing code for Astrobee robot.

In 2020, a talented team of Asian programmers successfully patched an air leak on the International Space Station (ISS). However, due to the temporary nature of the fix, the leak reoccurred in 2021.

Now, we call upon your expertise once again! The location of the leak has been identified, and we need your skills to develop a permanent solution. Your mission is to create a program that will enable Astrobee, a free-flying robot on the ISS, to precisely target and seal the leak using its laser pointer.

This mission is crucial for ensuring the continued safety and operation of the ISS. Your participation will not only demonstrate your programming prowess but also contribute directly to the success of space exploration.

Mission:

• Move Astrobee to the target location.

• Read the AR tags and QR code.

• Analyze the position/orientation of the target from information obtained from the QR code.

• Adjust Astrobee’s position/orientation to point the laser at the center of the target.

• Illuminate the center of the target with Astrobee’s laser.

• Report completion of the mission to a crew member.

Scoring:

• Your score will be calculated based on the accuracy of laser pointing and the elapsed time.