RFP*: Lunar Agricultural Zone (LAZ)

RFP is an acronym for Request For Proposal. Internationally, RFPs are called ITTs, an acronym for Invitation To Tender. Governmental agencies use RFPs to solicit new business.

This project reflects real life scenarios; the robot must be able to handle minor imperfections in the course. Note: You should only use the materials contained in the price list for VEX parts for robot projects. If you want to use other parts, get permission from your faculty member to do so, and also to determine the cost of the parts you want to use that are not in this price list.

Introduction and Overview

In 2021, humanity faces the problem of feeding its growing population. Currently, half of the Earth’s habitable land (51 million km2) is used for agriculture, leaving little for much else. To combat this, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has turned to lunar agriculture. With a surface area of over 37 million square kilometers, the moon has the potential to farm over 70% of the Earth’s current supply. Due to the slow period of rotation, stationary crops on the moon will be exposed to 27.3 days of continuous sunlight then darkness. In order to have greater control over the sunlight exposure of crops on the moon, NASA has issued an RFP (request for proposal) for a rover capable of traversing the Lunar Agricultural Zone, the newest solution to world hunger. This rover would traverse the unsmooth terrains of the moon, locate various crops, and determine if they should be moved depending on the levels of light exposure detected. By keeping rigorous control of the light exposure of the crops, NASA hopes to create an environment capable of sustaining plant life on the moon. The objective of this mission is to locate and collect all plants in the Lunar Agricultural Zone overexposed to sunlight. To complete the given tasks, either the gyro, touch or ultrasonic sensor can be used to increase the accuracy of the rover movement. After the overexposed plants are obtained, they should be transported to an area of less exposure.