MIT/NASA Zero Robotics Competition

Satellites Programming Tournament

ZeroRobotics® is an extraordinary Robotics Competition run by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Students write algorithms for the Astrobee® satellites (SPHERES prior to 2020) to accomplish tasks relevant to future space missions. There are two divisions, middle schools (Gr. 6-8) and high schools divisions. SR's high school team is QuarkCharm, and middle school team is QuarkCharm-Junior.

Learn about ZeroRobotics through our team's presenation

2016 Storming Robots ZeroRobotics Team logo SR HS Team QuarkCharm was invited to deliver oral presentation at the 2019 ISS R&D Conference.

Overview Challenges for Two Divisions

For Middle Schools Division - SR QuarkCharm-Junior

- click here.

For High Schools Division - SR QuarkCharm

The tournament begins with simulations in phases from 2D to 3D with gradually increasing difficulty. After two elimination rounds and days of execution with daily rank shown in online leaderboard, the advanced finalists will gain the opportunity to have their code run in the physical SPHERES satellites aboard the International Space Station. The event will be broadcasted live from space. The finals take place simultaneously at MIT, an ESA site in Europe, and at the University of Sydney in Australia.

The program was put on hold as the old SPHERE has retired, and will be transitioning to the new Astrobee Free Flyers Satellite. The High School Tournament with the new Astrobee will be announced as soon as it is ready.

Click here to Learn more about the NASA SPHERE program.

2018 - 4th Place at the ISS-Final

Team’s code was uploaded onto a satellite and compete the final round right inside the International Space Station in January.

We had a team of 15 high school students from age 14 to 18 participated in this year competition. Another year of interdisciplinary and robotic system engineering competition involving from computer science deploying Dikjstra Algorithm, Physics, and intensive math work including Quaternions and spatial rotation.

_{(Top) Andrew Dailey, Shikhar Ahuja, Prateek Humane(1st Captain), Mayur Sharma, Jalen Patel, Adithya Swaminathan, Jagdeep Bhatia(2nd Captain), Deep Patel, Sunny Cheng (2nd Captain).}

_{Daniel Xue, Mehal Kashyap, Arya Nagabhyru, Rishi Purohit, Prateek Humane (1st Captain), Julian.Lee (2nd captain), Jeffrey Cheng (2nd captain).}

2017 - Advanced to ISS Semi-Final

We have a small team this year, 14 members, with most are rockies. The team won their way into the 2017 ISS Semi-Final. Team got an opportunity to explore Quaternions (4-tuple) and spatial rotation mathematics. At our ISS-Final elimination round, we scored just one rank shy away advancing the ISS Final. Nevertheless, it is rewarding learning experience for everyone.

2016 - Won the 2nd Place at the ISS-Final

There were over 150 teams participating in the 2016 competition. It includes about 80s teams from United States, and about 70s teams from foreign countries, such as Russia, Australia, Japan, etc. Click here to view Press Release from MIT/ZeroRobotics.

Team member Alexander Saff, Former Astronaut Cady Coleman, Team members Mehal Kashyap, Sonia Purohit, and Prateek Humane(Team Lead) at the ISS-Final.

Full Team. (from left to right, top to bottom)
Brian Winkelried-Gr.12, Mehal Kashyap-Gr.10, Prateek Humane (CoCap)-Gr.10, Karthik Murthy-Gr.11, Ashley Yang-Gr.12, Ethan Mak-Gr.10, Bhavik Shah-Gr.12, Daniel Kolano (CoCap)-Gr.12, William Cui-Gr.10, Neelay Trivedi (CoCap)-Gr.10, Jack Winkelried-Gr.12 (at the bottom of the pic)
Sonia Purohit-Gr.10, Sean Doran-Gr.11, Alexander Saff (CoCap)-Gr.12, Stephen Therianos-Gr.12, Sunny Cheng-Gr.10.

2014 - Won the highest score at the ISS-Final Round Robin Simulation

Congratulations on our alliance team at the ZR ISS finals! Our alliance team's code achieved the highest score at Round Robin Simulation. As always, the most important aspect is serious learning and fun always going together. Awesome experience!

Team Members
2014 Storming Robots ZeroRobotics Team
Dhruv Patel(Gr. 11), Danny Kolano(Gr. 10), Pranav Darbha(gr.10), Sid Kurella(gr.11), Salil Pathare(gr.11), Brady Bean(gr.11), Sunny Agarawal(gr.12)(coLead), Prad-yumna Rao(gr.10), Vadym Glushkov(gr.11)(Lead), Sean Doran(gr.9)

2013 - Advanced to ISS-Final

Hunterdon Chamber Radio invited our team for a Radio Talk Show. Click here to listen our ZeroRobotics Team Quark Charm Radio Interview.

Storming Robots Roboclub high school students once again advanced into the ISS-Final of 2013 MIT/NASA ZERO Robotics Programming Challenge. These Finalists will have them software competing in a live championship aboard the ISS against other brilliant teams throughout United States. The Final submission date will be on December 15th.

Vadym Glushkov (gr.10) (team captain), Sunny Agarawal(gr.11)(team captain), Brady Bean(gr.10), Pranav Darbha(gr.9), Abhishek Kalita(gr.10), Sid Kurella(gr.10), Prad-yumna Rao(gr.9), Uday Shankar(Gr.9), Shawn-Qilong(Gr.10), Michael Wu(gr.10)

2012 - Advanced to ISS-Semi-Final

Despite of the long interruption from the destructive and the largest Atlantic hurricane Sandy, the team continued to work hard and collaborate. All major developers are first time participants as well.

Michael Xie (gr.9) (team captain), Andrew Amerman (gr.9) (team captain), Sid Kurella (gr.9), Sunny Agarawal (gr.9), Salil Pathare (gr.9), Andre Gou (gr.10), Ben Brown (gr.12)

2011 - Won 1st Place 2011 ISS Final

Along with our allicance teams from the Riverhill High School, MD, and Rockledge High School, FL, Storming Robots' high school team won the SPHERES Challenge 2011 Championship on the International Space Station!

Read about the NASA Press Release

Read about the NJ.com Press Release.

Team member Avery Katko was featured on the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC.

Team Members
2011 Storming Robots ZeroRobotics Team
Avery K., Matthew G., Matthew S., Nikhil S., Ben B.

2010

Our first time participating in the competition. After a rigorous selection process, Storming Robots students' proposal was accepted to be one of the best match teams for its competition, based on their past software development and robotics experience. We are the only team from NJ in 2010.

Team Members
2010 Storming Robots ZeroRobotics Team
Alex Frankchuk, Avery Katko, Catherine, Dai Matthew, Goldman Oliver Katz

Read about Press Release on NJ.com.