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Sputnik
Junior High (Middle) School Age Group - preliminary

Prelude
In 1957 Soviet Union made the first launch in the Sputnik program - the very first satellite designed and
created by humankind. It was a 58 cm diameter polished metal sphere, with four external radio antennae
to broadcast radio pulses. The era of space exploration has begun. Since that time hundreds of satellites
continue to fill the space surrounding our planet and help people in solving every day routine. One
satellite usually serves the needs of people for several years and then it goes down into the ocean or goes
up to outer orbits and cannot return to the Earth. However a lot of crashes happen as a result of satellite
collisions with other objects in the Space. Such kind of crashes leads to a large amount of debris polluting
the near-Earth space. According to scientists there is more than 100 thousand of debris 1x1 cm in size
weighing more than 5000 tons on the orbits 2000 km above the Earth. Considering all the tiny objects
the amount of debris reaches 300 million. Meanwhile even the collision with 1 mm size element speeding
up to 10-15 km/s is able to destroy the whole space station.

In order to resolve the space debris problem the area around the Earth should contain factories-satellites
for collecting and recycling any kind of space debris. The factories could be completely automated and
special robots will explore the Outer Space to discover artificial objects and distinguish satellites in
service from real debris.

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Challenge
Game Table in 3D

Table Definitions



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Challenge Objects
Five LEGO bricks in height, 6x6 studs in size represent Space Debris.


Red balls represent Failed Satellites. Blue balls represent Valid Satellites. Red and blue balls are
placed on 2x2 LEGO plates.



A white cardboard/plastic cylinder having 250 mm in diameter and 160 mm in height
represents the Factory Satellite.




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Challenge Overview
The mission of the robot is to collect all the Space Debris and Failed Satellites and to load them into the Factory
Satellite. Valid Satellites must remain in the orbit.
Match Definition
1. Rules & Regulation
1.1. Multiple programs in the robot are allowed. For scoring rounds, the participants are only allowed
to choose a program and press the enter button to run it. Participants are not allowed to make
any additional input or setting to the chosen program.
1.2. The maximum dimensions of the robot before it starts are 250 mm 250 mm 250 mm. After it
starts, the dimensions of the robot are not restricted.
1.3. The robot begins in the Base area and finishes in the same area
1.4. The robot must start within the Base area. No part of the robot is allowed to exceed the Base area
before it starts.
1.5. When participants have arranged the physical position of the robot to their liking and the Factory
Satellite has a particular position at the playing field the judge gives the signal to start.

1.6. The mission of the robot is to collect all the Space Debris and Failed Satellites and to load them
into the Factory Satellite. Valid Satellites must not be moved from their initial position. Penalty
will be given for every Valid Satellite moved from their initial position.
1.7. An object is loaded into the Factory Satellite only when the object is completely loaded into the
container of the Factory Satellite.

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1.8. A Valid Satellite is considered as moved if it is shifted from its plate or both the satellite and plate
are outside of special markers on the green line representing the Satellites Orbit.

1.9. At the beginning of the competition there are a maximum of 4 Space Debris items and a
maximum of 8 satellites at the playing field including Failed and Valid Satellites. All the challenge
objects are located on the Satellite Orbit no more than one object of each type on each arc
between intersections. The amount of objects will be randomly decided before the competitions
begin and remain permanent during all rounds. The locations of the objects will be randomly
decided at the start of each round (post-quarantine).
1.10. The Factory Satellite moves along the Factory Satellite Orbit on the playing field with a
speed from 5 cm/s to 10 cm/s.
1.11. The robot can leave on the field any parts that are not containing main units (controller,
motors, sensors) if needed.
1.12. The attempt and time will stop if:
o Any team member touches the robot after it starts.
o The participant touches any object on the field.
o The Factory Satellite got off its orbit as a result of the robots actions.
o Challenge time (2 minutes) has ended.
o The robot completely enters to the Base area and has stopped moving.
o Participant call for "Stop" of the match.
o Violation of the rules and regulations herein.

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2. Scoring
2.1. Score will only be calculated at the end of the challenge or when time stops.
2.2. At least one Space Debris item or Failed Satellite is completely outside of the green line
representing satellites orbit = 5 pts.
2.3. All Space Debris items and Failed Satellites are completely outside of the green line representing
satellites orbit = 25 pts.
2.4. Placing a Space Debris item into the container of the Factory Satellite = 40 points per item.
2.5. Placing a Failed Satellite into the container of the Factory Satellite = 50 points per item.
2.6. The robot finishes completely in the Base area (at least one Space Debris item or Failed Satellite
is moved completely outside of the green line representing satellites orbit) = 10 points.

One Space Debris item or
Failed Satellite is outside
the Satellite Orbit
All Space Debris items and
Failed Satellites are
outside the Satellite Orbit
Loading of Space
Debris
Loading of Failed
Satellite
Finish in Base
5 points 25 points 40 points per item 50 points per item 10 points
Penalties:
20 points penalties will be subtracted for every Valid Satellite moved from its initial position on the Satellite
Orbit
50 points penalties will be subtracted for every Valid Satellite loaded into the container of the Factory Satellite

3. Scoring Example

Round 1 (4 Space Debris items, 2 Failed Satellites, 3 Valid
Satellites )
Team A (4,2,2,1) Team B (3,1,0,0)
One Space Debris item or Failed Satellite
is outside the Satellite Orbit
Yes (5 pts) Yes (5 pts)
All Space Debris items and Failed
Satellites are outside the Satellite Orbit
Yes (25 pts) No, 1 Space Debris item and 1
Failed Satellite remain on the
Satellite Orbit(0 pts)
Loading of Space Debris item 4 Space Debris items loaded
(4 x 40 pts = 160 pts)
3 Space Debris items loaded
(3 x 40 pts = 120 pts)
Loading of Failed Satellite 2 Failed Satellites loaded
(2 x 50 pts = 100 pts)
1 Failed Satellite loaded
(1 x 50 pts = 50 pts)
Finish in Base No (0 pts) Yes (10 pts)
Penalty (a Valid Satellite removed from
original position)
2 balls
(2 x 20 pts = 40 pts)
0 balls
(0 x 20 pts = 0 pts)
Penalty (a Valid Satellite loaded into the
Factory Satellite)
1 ball
(1 x 50 pts = 50 pts)
0 balls
(0 x 50 pts = 0 pts)
Final Score 200 pts (5 + 25 + 160 + 100 +
0 - 40 - 50)
185 pts (5 +0 + 120 + 50 + 10 -
0 - 0)

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Table Specifications
Horizontal Dimensions

All size is in mm.
General Information
The internal dimension of the playing field is 2370 mm 1150 mm.
A wall that is 20 mm in width surrounds the table.
The height of the wall is 50 mm.
The playing field consists of the Base area, Black and Light Green Lines representing the orbits.
The Base area a cyan circle 360 mm in diameter as a symbol of the Earth.
The width of the lines in the playing field area is 30 mm 1 mm.
The table base color is white, except for cyan Base area, Black and Light Green orbits.
The error tolerance of the field is 50 mm.
The playing field contains the Factory Satellite introduced by a robotics vehicle with a cylindrical
container 250 mm in diameter and 160 mm in height (with empty section about 100 mm height),
Valid and Bad Satellites are represented by balls and Space Debris is a LEGO construction.
The red and blue balls used are from the #9797 LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Base Set.

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Building Instructions
Building instructions for the Factory Satellite
The robot in the Factory Satellite may be made of Lego Mindstorms Set and programmed with any
software. Example of construction and program in Robolab 2.9.4 attached. Also, construction based on
the RCX and EV3 will be later.




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Building instructions for Space Debris

Step 1 Step 2


Step 3 Step 4


Step 5