MTSU team to take ‘learning experiences’ at recent NASA rover challenge into 2026

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Every team member wanted to place much higher than middle of the pack, but the Middle Tennessee State University Engineering Technology Experimental Vehicles lunar rover group was satisfied finishing 13^th — and best in Tennessee — during the 31^st NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge.

Back-to-back 7 a.m. starts both Friday and Saturday, April 11-12, didn’t intimidate the team of seven undergraduates — five male and two female students — in the field of 24 human-powered collegiate teams this year at the Marshall Space Flight Center. First-place honors went to Campbell University.

Middle Tennessee State University students Angela Thongdinharath, left, and Domonic Dalton, this year’s lunar rover drivers for MTSU’s Engineering Technology Experimental Vehicles program, navigate the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge course on Friday, April 11, during the 2025 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. MTSU finished 13^th out of 24 human-powered collegiate teams. (MTSU photo by Lydia Ashby)

The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge is a rigorous and continuously evolving activity engaging students in hands-on engineering design. It is an annual competition for college and high school students to design, build and race human-powered, collapsible vehicles over simulated lunar/Martian terrain.

MTSU entered this year’s challenge with a new team, vehicle design and goals.

“We competed with schools from around the world at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and beat the other human-powered Tennessee college team,” said Philip Sheffield Jr., 23, a first-year graduate student who led the team.

“I’m very thankful to have this opportunity with the team and am so proud of them for their dedication and hard work,” he added. “We couldn’t have done this without everyone’s participation and are grateful to have such a great squad.”

Middle Tennessee State University Engineering Technology Experimental Vehicles lunar rover drivers Angela Thongdinharath, in front seat, and Domonic Dalton cross the finish line, on Friday, April 11, completing the first of two runs in the 31st annual NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge that concluded Saturday, April 12, at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. MTSU placed 13th out of 24 collegiate teams. (MTSU photo by Lydia Ashby)

Philip Sheffield, MTSU first-year graduate student — Philip Sheffield

Sheffield said the team’s seven undergrad students — Lydia Ashby, Max Brooks, Domonic Dalton, Marco Montoya, Tyler Smith, Andrew Starkey and Angela Thongdinharath — “worked hard throughout the year to make it here (to Huntsville), guided by our faculty advisor, Dr. Saeed Foroudastan, and team mentors Rick Taylor, Mahina Ahmed Pranti and Demaine Williamson.”

The team’s entry, nicknamed “Project 101” and driven by Dalton and Thongdinharath, stalled several times on the course as did most of the other teams’ rovers, with Dalton hopping out and pushing it back on track.

“The team is invigorated by our learning experiences this year, and our members are already planning ways to improve for next year’s competition,” Sheffield said.

Past MTSU teams have earned awards high finishes. They were first in the nation and third internationally in 2015 and seventh overall in 2016. MTSU students earned the Phoenix Award in 2022, the last time they competed, and the Neil Armstrong Best Design Award in 2014 and 2020.

Sheffield recognized the NASA Space Grant, the MTSU Engineering Technology Department and the MTSU Student Government Association for their support and funding.

To learn more about Engineering Technology, one of 11 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments, visithttps://et.mtsu.edu.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)