Pioneering the Future of
Lunar Excavation
Youngstown State University's interdisciplinary engineering team designing, building, and operating autonomous regolith excavation rovers for NASA's Artemis mission architecture.
// MISSION DIRECTIVE
Empowering Tomorrow's Space Exploration
NASA Lunabotics Competition
A premier NASA Systems Engineering Challenge. University teams construct autonomous or remote-controlled rovers designed to excavate lunar regolith and ice analogs at the Kennedy Space Center.
Fully Autonomous Operations
Pushing the boundaries of autonomous navigation, real-time SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), and obstacle traversal without direct human intervention in dust-heavy environments.
YSU STEM Excellence
Combining Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering discipline students at YSU to build production-grade aerospace technology and train future space industry pioneers.
// TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Interactive Rover Subsystems
Click on any engineering subsystem below to inspect details, sensors, hardware architectures, and technical breakthroughs.
Autonomous Navigation & ROS 2
LiDAR array, Intel RealSense depth sensing, dynamic path planning, and ROS 2 navigation stacks.
Embedded Electronics & Power
Custom PCB design, FPGA/ARM motor controllers, high-current BMS, telemetry, and CAN-bus integration.
Mechanical & Chassis
Lightweight aerospace alloy frame, high-clearance rocker-bogie suspension, and dust sealing gaskets.
Excavation & Deposition
High-efficiency bucket-drum mechanism engineered for high regolith yield under low-mass constraints.
// HUMAN CAPITAL
Team Roster & Leadership
Student engineers and advisors dedicated to lunar exploration breakthroughs.
Systems Lead
Lead Systems Engineer
Overlooks cross-functional integration, NASA compliance documentation, and timeline management.
Autonomy Lead
Software & Robotics
Specializes in ROS 2 navigation nodes, point-cloud filtering, and computer vision algorithm optimization.
Mechanical Lead
Design & Manufacturing
Drives SolidWorks modeling, FEA stress simulations, CNC machining, and physical assembly.
Faculty Advisor
YSU STEM Faculty
Mentors team members, conducts safety audits, and coordinates university research facility access.
Jenifer R. Powers Fruit Memorial Fund
Proudly supported by crucial endowment grants that power student-led aerospace design, hardware procurement, and travel to NASA Kennedy Space Center.
// PARTNERSHIPS
Sponsorship Tier Architecture
Invest in Youngstown's brightest engineering talents pushing outer space frontiers.
Lunar Orbit
- Logo on team website & documentation
- Social media sponsor recognition
- Direct newsletter updates
Artemis Lander
- All Orbital tier benefits
- Medium decal logo on physical rover
- Resume book of graduating senior team
- Lab tour & team demo access
Apollo Titan
- All Lander tier benefits
- Prominent premier logo placement on rover
- Exclusive VIP showcase & presentation
// COMM CHANNEL
Get In Touch With YSU Lunabotics
Questions, sponsorship inquiries, or recruitment requests? Send a message.