LEGO MINDSTORMS

Background

Space stations allow us to learn about and even practice living in space, but improved technology and new international partners require modules to be easily interchangeable.

Mission

The robot needs to remove and insert modules among the habitation hub’s portholes.

Scores

• Move the cone module completely into the base: 16
• Insert the tube module into the habitation hub port, west side: 16
• Transfer/insert the docking module into the habitation hub port, east side: 14
• Possible scores: 0, 16, 32, 46

Scoring Requirements

• Results must be visible at the end of the match.
• Inserted modules must not be touching anything except the habitation hub. > Needs to be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Incredible engineering accomplishments like space travel come about in steps. And many huge, progressive sub-goals need to be met before we can forever leave earth and live to tell about it!

Mission

The robot needs to send payload rockets (carts) rolling down the space travel ramp. The first cart is preset and ready to go, but the robot needs to load the other two from the base.

Scores

• Vehicle payload rolled down the space travel ramp: 22
• Supply payload rolled down the space travel ramp: 14
• Crew payload rolled down the space travel ramp: 10
• Possible scores: 0, 10, 14, 22, 24, 32, 36, 46

Scoring Requirements

• For each roll, the cart must be independent by the time it reaches the first track connection ramp. > Note: Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• Start each payload clearly rolling down the space travel ramp. > Note: Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• As a mission requirement in any mission, the word “independent” means “not in contact with any of your equipment. > As long as the cart clearly rolls independently past the first track connection, it’s okay if it doesn’t roll all the way east.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

The chance of a “serious” meteoroid hitting earth in our lifetime is extremely low, but it’s not zero, and the devastation could truly wipe us out. How will scientists and engineers keep us safe?

Mission

From west of the free-line, send one or both meteoroids independently to the meteoroid catcher. “Independently”: see also M01, Section “Scoring Requirements”.

Scores

• Meteoroid(s) touch(es) the mat in the centre section of the meteoroid catcher: 12 each
• Meteoroid(s) touch(es) the mat in either side section of the meteoroid catcher: 8 each
• Possible scores: 0, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.
• The meteoroids need to be sent over the free-line to touch the mat in the meteoroid catcher > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• The meteoroids must be hit/released while they are clearly and completely west of the free-line. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• While between hit/release and scoring position, the meteoroid must be clearly independent. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• If ever the ring-set meteoroid is off its ring, you may remove the ring from the field by hand. This is a special exception to the rules.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Though spacecraft travel crazy-fast, even the shortest trips involve a lot of time for the traveller’s body away from labour and recreation, which is bad for the heart and lungs.

Mission

The robot needs to repeatedly move one or both of the exercise machine’s handle assemblies to make the pointer advance.

Scores

• Get the pointer tip completely in orange, or partly covering either of orange’s end-borders: 22 OR
• Get the pointer tip completely in white: 20 OR
• Get the pointer tip completely in grey, or partly covering either of grey’s end-borders: 18
• Possible scores: 0, 18, 20, 22

Scoring Requirements

• Advance the exercise machine’s pointer along its dial by moving one or both of the handle assemblies. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.
• Results must be visible at the end of the match.

Background

Our Lander doesn’t have working parachutes, thrusters, or cushions, but one important feature is realistic … it’s very fragile.

Mission

Get the lander to one of its targets intact, or at least get it to base.

Scores

• Move the lander to be intact, touching the mat, and completely in its target circle: 22 OR
• Move the lander to be intact, touching the mat, and completely in the northeast planet area: 20 OR
• Move both parts of the lander completely into the base: 16
• Possible scores: 0, 16, 20, 22

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.
• The lander is “intact” if its parts are connected by at least two of its four tan location axles.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Space is quiet and beautiful, but with almost no heat, air, nor air pressure, it could freeze, suffocate, and boil you all at once! Help our spacewalking astronaut “Gerhard” get to safety.

Mission

The robot needs to get Gerhard’s body into the airlock chamber.

Scores

• Astronaut completely in the habitation hub’s airlock chamber: 22 OR
• Astronaut partly in the habitation hub’s airlock chamber: 18
• Possible scores: 0, 18, 22

Scoring Requirements

• For this mission, the word “body” includes all parts except the loop.
• Results must be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Gardening is easy, right? You just need a truckload of rich soil, some rain, sun, fertilizer, helpful bugs, CO₂ and a rake but what if you were orbiting Neptune, in a room the size of a minivan?

Mission

Move the push bar the right distance at the right speed, to get into the green scoring range.

Scores

• Spin the food growth chamber’s colours so the grey weight is DROPPED after green, but before tan, by moving the push bar: 16
• Possible scores: 0, 16

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.
• Spin the food growth chamber’s colors must be spun by moving the push bar. > Only allowed method. Must be oberserved by the referee.

(mission descriptions source: https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

If a satellite doesn’t have the correct velocity and distance from earth, it can fall, drift away, fail to function or get destroyed by debris. Propulsive adjustments need to be performed with precision.

Mission

The robot needs to move one or more satellites to the outer orbit.

Scores

• Move any part of a satellite on or above the area between the two lines of the outer orbit: 8 each
• Possible scores: 0, 8, 16, 24

Scoring Requirements

• Result must be visible at the end of the match.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)

Background

Soon after a launch, rocket engines often separate away from spacecraft by design, but that’s long before the spacecraft leaves the pull of gravity. So why doesn’t the spacecraft fall back to earth?

Mission

The robot needs to impact the strike pad hard enough to keep the spacecraft from dropping back down.

Scores

• Get the spacecraft to go so fast and high that it stays up, by pressing/hitting the strike pad: 24
• Possible scores: 0, 24

Scoring Requirements

• The result must be visible at the end of the match.
• Activate the spacecraft by pressing/hitting the strike pad. > Only allowed method. Must be observed by the referee.

(mission descriptions source https://www.first-lego-league.org/)