This post and podcast are not, in any way, shape or form, affiliated with, nor endorsed by, NASA. We are not employed by, or otherwise connected with, NASA. (We just enjoy reporting on all this cool stuff!)

What if you could build and operate a lunar rover?

That’s exactly the opportunity which NASA offers students, from sixth grade to graduate school, with their annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge.

AND–they’re just about to start hosting virtual information sessions for their 2024-2025 semester challenge!

NASA Program Specialist Dr. Vemitra Alexander says the first information sessions for the 2024-2025 school year will begin in August. Posted dates for the competition finals are April 11-12, 2025, at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. Here’s a link to the 2024 handbook.

The challenge

NASA’s HERC program challenges student teams to design and engineer vehicles capable of traversing the Moon’s surface. Throughout the school year, the teams work on design, construction and troubleshooting.

In the process, students from public, private and home schools are honing their skills in communication, collaboration and problem-solving, while researching new technologies that may assist future astronauts.

Then, in the spring, selected student teams get to demonstrate the effectiveness of their vehicles. On a simulated lunar surface at Marshall Space Center, in Huntsville, Alabama, teams navigate their rovers, accomplish specific tasks and overcome obstacles.

Long-term benefits

Meanwhile, the skills students learn, while collaborating on the teams, are not for future space scientists alone.

“These are transferable skills,” explains Dr. Alexander, who is the team lead on the HERC program.

“…You got to be able to communicate effectively, (and) you got to be able to collaborate, even in industry.”

Dr. Alexander explained the HERC program, offered a closer look at what’s involved for participants and discussed the ways NASA’s HERC program is preparing students for the future.

On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

• Dr. Alexander’s creative journey, as an educator, which led to her current work with NASA HERC;

• What the Human Exploration Rover Challenge involves;

• A closer look at the teams participating;

• One of the missions added to this year’s competition, which relates directly to the Artemis mission;

• Dr. Alexander’s average workday, at the time we prerecorded this interview, as NASA HERC team lead, in preparation for the two-day special event;

• The projected schedule of events, at the time of our recording, for Friday, April 19th and Saturday, April 20th, for the culmination of the 2024 challenge at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, in Huntsville;

• One of Dr. Alexander’s favorite moments, from the 2023 NASA HERC two-day event!:

• An essential quality for the students driving the rover along the course;

• A challenge Dr. Alexander encountered, in preparing the 2024 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge;

• One unusual award which a team can win–and what it can teach them for their futures;

• What “winning” means, in terms of HERC:

• A new and exciting event happening this year, during the two-day event, to celebrate HERC’s landmark anniversary;

• Dr. Alexander’s recollections of her early days as team lead on NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge;

• What happens next, after the conclusion of this year’s Challenge;

• How Dr. Alexander has grown, as an educator and NASA professional, since beginning to work at NASA;

• One of her favorite NASA educator guides (this is one of which this year’s HERC is based: here’s the link to “Landing Humans on the Moon”!);

• How best to support NASA HERC;

• How the NASA HERC team will come up with the storyline, tasks and obstacles for next year’s Challenge!

• One of the activities, in the “Landing Humans on the Moon” educator guide that Dr. Alexander found especially exciting and fun (and which the students will experience as a HERC task on the course!);

• The process of creating the new HERC for the upcoming school year;

• Some of the tasks which student teams in the Spring 2024 HERC were given, to complete;

• How students can get involved in the Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Human Exploration Rover Challenge;

• The ideal size for a participating student team;

• One of the team requirements for participation: STEM Engagement Reports;

• Roles students can have, especially if they’re not “hardcore scientists”;

• Safety considerations, and one mistake for participating students to avoid;

• What happens for students, with the implements they create for the course, prior to the competition.

• What’s needed in the way of support, as HERC grows in the future;

• Dr. Alexander’s future vision for HERC;

• And, what may well be one of her favorite memories from NASA HERC 2024!