STEPHENVILLE — Engineering students from Tarleton State University’s RELLIS campus received the highest award for their NASA-based research project at the Texas Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge Showcase held Nov. 17-18 in League City, Texas.
Team RELLIS LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) took first place as Top Design Team and was awarded $1,000 individual scholarships for each of the six students on the team, as well as $1,200 to be used to support the team’s project expenses. The group also won first place in Best Poster, second place in Top Peer Review and third place in Best Video.
“Our team participated in both the poster and oral presentation sessions, and our performance was outstanding among the 24 competing teams from universities across the state of Texas,” said Dr. Nourouddin Sharifi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Technology and the RELLIS team’s faculty advisor.
The team’s winning project was titled “Next-Generation Lunar Terrain Vehicle (NextGen LTV) for Human and Robotic Exploration.” Students were tasked with developing the design and prototype for an innovative Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) concept optimized for long-range, energy-efficient and autonomous exploration of the Moon’s South Pole.
“This next-generation rover will address mobility, safety and operational challenges to enable sustained human and robotic missions on the Moon, supporting Artemis program objectives,” Dr. Sharifi said. “Our team developed an innovative prototype supported by experimental testing and simulation analysis.”
Posters, models and oral presentation were reviewed during the two-day showcase event. The RELLIS team’s poster and oral presentations were evaluated across multiple categories, Dr. Sharifi said, and there was a line of attendees waiting to see their poster.
Team RELLIS LTV is composed of seniors Nicholas Ekleberry and Syeda Roushan and juniors Yashasvi Gullapally, Irving Wistam, Alyssa Castro and Behram Khan.
The NASA-TSGC Design Challenge invites undergraduate students to propose, design and build innovative solutions that support NASA’s research priorities. Sponsored by NASA and managed by the Texas Space Grant Consortium, this program offers students a valuable opportunity to develop their skills, gain hands-on experience, and grow both academically and professionally. Each participating team collaborates with a NASA mentor and submits five deliverables to TSGC per semester. The two-day NASA showcase provides an opportunity to present research through posters and oral presentations.
The Texas Space Grant Consortium is a network of more than 50 Texas institutions united in their mission to make the benefits of space research and technology accessible to all Texans.
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