A Team That is Out Of This World.

MoonBuggy Team

Project Advisor: Dr. Adams

Team Captain: Quentin Benson

Members: Elizabeth Nies, Mark Kocik, Emina Maric, Jonathan Hilton, David Meier

Problem Statement

Manufacture and design an off-road human powered vehicle to compete in The Great MoonBuggy Race in Huntsville, AL on April 20, 2007. This vehicle is required to race over approximately one half mile of lunar terrain and carry instrumentation similar to that of a functional MoonBuggy Team. In addition the MoonBuggy Team must disassemble the vehicle to fit within a four foot cube.

Project Summary

The senior project requires the design of a vehicle that addresses engineering problems similar to problems faced by the original MoonBuggy Team. These include functionality, drive type, safety, assembly and disassembly requirements. The Annual Great MoonBuggy Team Race sponsored by NASA is held in Huntsville Alabama each spring.

Each MoonBuggy is required to carry two students, one male and one female for the duration of the course. This course consists of approximately one half mile of lunar surface composed of craters, rocks, lava, inclines and “lunar” soil. The MoonBuggy design team consists of six students who design, build, and compete using the final product.

During the competition the two riders are required to carry the MoonBuggy Team disassembled to the starting line within a 4’ x 4’ x 4’ volume, mimicking the requirements of the original lunar roving vehicle. At the starting line the MoonBuggy Team will be assembled, tested for safety and setup for course testing. At this point the design team will be evaluated on the time required to safely traverse the course. Each team is allowed two runs through the “lunar” terrain and the shortest time will be added to the assembly time for a total time for this competition.

The completed MoonBuggy Team will be evaluated on functionality separate from the race. This evaluation will examine the technical approach used to solve the engineering problem of navigating the lunar course and not the time needed to traverse the course. Awards will also be given for most unique, most improved and system safety award.

This senior design project gives the design team the opportunity to design, test, built and race a human powered MoonBuggy Team. During this process the design team will encounter the same constraints and design issues encountered by the first lunar roving vehicle.

Proposal

MoonBuggy Photos

Team Picture

Team members are (from left to right) Elizabeth Nies, Quentin Benson, Emina Maric, Mark Kocik, Jonathan Hilton and Dave Meier.

Sponsors

L-3 Communications

ATK Launch Systems

MacLean Quality Composites

Cambric

Questar

Hexcel

CEntry

Peer Bearing

Martin Gear and Sprocket

Fox Shox

Bolt & Nut Supply Co.

Aurora Bearing

U of U Welding Shop

CycleSmith

Wasatch Touring

Metal Supermarkets

Borgeson Universal

Applied Industrial

UPS