What is Zero Robotics?

Zero Robotics is a robotics programming competition using Astrobee, a group of free-flying robots aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The competition begins online, where teams develop code on the Zero Robotics IDE to solve an annual coding challenge. Finalists get the unique opportunity to test their programs live aboard the ISS. During the live championship, an astronaut conducts the competition in microgravity.

History

Zero Robotics was originally launched in partnership with NASA, MIT, and DARPA using the SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites). These spherical, volleyball-sized robots were used for early competitions until they were retired from the ISS in 2016.

The competition began with a pilot program in Idaho in 2009, bringing together a dedicated team of students and mentors to test the feasibility of introducing high school students to advanced robotics programming. Following the success of the pilot, the program expanded to a national level, eventually transitioning from SPHERES to Astrobee robots.

Types of Tournaments

  • High School Tournament: Designed for students in grades 9-12, the high school program takes place annually in Janurary-February. As of 2025, the tournament is open to teams based in the United States, with plans for future expansion to international participants.
  • Middle School Summer Program: A 5-week program where younger students learn programming through a graphical interface. The program is hosted for teams based in the US.

All tournaments are free. To participate:

  1. Form a team of 5-20 students and find a mentor.
  2. Register your team for a tournament during registration period. Check the list of active tournaments for details.

Tournament Objectives

Teams compete by programming strategies into the Astrobee robots to solve a technically challenging game. The game addresses real-world problems of interest to NASA and other research organizations. Students must program Astrobee to achieve objectives like navigating obstacles, collecting virtual objects, or completing specific tasks—all while conserving resources such as fuel and battery power. Programs are fully autonomous, meaning students cannot interact with Astrobee during the actual tests.