High school students are solving the growing crisis of space junk
In short: Orbiting our planet is a graveyard of broken satellites and discarded debris. To solve this, the European Space Agency and NASA host an annual competition where students write code to manage actual hardware orbiting the Earth. It is a high-stakes test of logic in a real-world vacuum.
The Zero Robotics competition challenges students to program maneuvers for SPHERES—Synchronised Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites. These are bowling ball-sized satellites that move around the International Space Station (ISS) using 12 jets powered by compressed gas. The competition was first introduced in 2011 by NASA astronauts. These small satellites are designed to perform maneuvers related to modern space-exploration challenges.
In the 2013 edition, 18 teams from seven European countries—Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Romania, Belgium, and the Netherlands—competed against U.S. teams. These groups represented approximately 140 students who worked to develop strategies for redirecting an incoming comet while navigating constraints like limited laser resources. Participants had to account for specific variables like taking space debris into consideration. The students from these nations worked together to write the necessary code.
The primary objective of the competition is to address the escalating problem of 'space junk.' As humans launch more satellites, the amount of unwanted debris in orbit increases every year. Students must write programs that mimic the complex task of cleaning up broken satellites and other human-made objects that have not been brought back down to Earth. Debris orbiting our planet creates a major hazard for future spacecraft intended for launch. Students must mimic cleaning up broken pieces of human technology.
The competition serves as a practical laboratory for space exploration problems. The student-written code runs on real testing satellites inside the ISS cabin. The U.S. accolades for 2013 went to Washington State's Evergreen School District and New Jersey's Montclair High School, whereas Italy's Enrico Fermi School and Germany's Herder-Gymnasium secured the European titles. The winning teams were announced following the competition held aboard the station. This annual event involves both U.S. and European Union participants.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Zero Robotics competition 2013
- Also: Space Station Contest Lets Students Program Satellites
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