Meet the teams
Team AGH Lunar Resources Initiatives, Poland
Team AGH from AGH University of Krakow developed a system featuring a screw-based digger that collected and stored lunar regolith in tubes, and a multi-level sifter using screens, vibrations and rotating brushes to separate particles into three size ranges. During the challenge, both systems performed well, though a tilt control issue required on-site adjustments. Despite this challenge, the team successfully demonstrated the ability to dig and sort over 20 kg of lunar regolith.
Team ASTROLITH, Canada
Led by Polytechnique Montréal and Uncharted AI, Team ASTROLITH developed Kirb-e, a robotic system built for Moon-like conditions designed to dig and sort lunar soil. The setup includes a strong mechanical shaker on three axes coupled with a gravity-powered sieve, meaning it uses gravity to help separate particles and a slow, steady feed to prevent clogging. Despite unexpected challenges, including remote operation issues and a flipped rover, the team’s smart design and dedicated student effort made the mission a success.
Team BREMEN, Germany
Team BREMEN is composed of members from the German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.) and the German Research Institution for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) GmbH, supported by the Robotics Group of the University of Bremen. Using a rover equipped with rotating shovels, the team successfully collected and processed large quantities of regolith simulant. The material was then funneled into a rotary sieve to separate it by particle size. Despite minor challenges with dust mitigation and sieve clogging, the system performed well, demonstrating promising potential for future lunar deployment.
Team CRADLE, UK
Team CRADLE—short for the Centre for Robotic Autonomy in Demanding and Long-Lasting Environments—is a collaboration between the University of Manchester and engineering firm Amentum. Their system, MoLES³, combines a rover designed to dig lunar soil with a static unit that uses vibrating sieves to sort the soil into different particle sizes, preparing it for further use. Built for semi-autonomous remote operation, the modular system aims to maximise the time spent refining lunar soil while keeping energy use low. It ran successfully for two and a half hours during the challenge.
Team FZI DUST, Germany
From the FZI Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe, this team built a wheeled robot equipped with a digging arm and a soil-sorting unit. Their system combined digging and sorting in one mobile setup, designed to work partly on its own or with remote control. It was built to handle rough terrain and aimed to reduce dust near a lunar base by processing soil directly at the excavation site. Despite a stuck component and a last-minute system reset, the team achieved high-purity output and valued the LUNA facility’s realistic setup for enabling adaptive, mission-like troubleshooting.
Team IPRL-API, UK
IPRL API is a startup formed for the Space Resources Challenge, spun out of Imperial College London. The team developed a system that uses a rotating drill—called an auger—that lifts the soil while built-in filters separate it by size as it moves upward. . This design reduces the need for extra equipment and saves energy To improve performance, they added small tapping elements to prevent clogging and a second sorting stage to refine particle size. Despite some technical setbacks during the challenge, the team adapted quickly and were impressed by the realistic environment at the LUNA facility.
Team LuMA, Luxembourg/Denmark
Team LuMA, a consortium of the University of Luxembourg, Aalborg University and Maana Electric, designed a fully 3D-printed system that combined a rover, a robotic arm and a particle filtration setup, each developed by one of the partner institutions. Designed for teleoperation and rugged terrain, the system aimed to tackle challenges like particle segregation and dust mitigation. Despite setbacks including clogging and communication loss, the team adapted on-site, manually resolving issues and adjusting processing rates.
Team TUBular, Germany
PhD students from TU Berlin’s Chair of Space Technology developed a modular robotic system tailored to lunar conditions, with support from Polimak and Lunex Technologies for payload development and testing. Their rover collects lunar soil using a rotating tube, which also acts as the internal storage in which it remains before it is carried to the stationary sieving unit. To reduce the risk of dust interfering with moving parts, they sealed the chassis and minimised exposed mechanisms. Although they faced challenges with motor drivers and software integration, the team was proud to complete and test their system at the LUNA facility, highlighting teamwork and adaptability under pressure.