SpaceTeam AGH

What are the key topics/ technologies your group works on? 

SpaceTeam AGH focuses on: 

• Lunar exploration and robotics - Developing technologies and robotic systems that can assist with lunar surface operations. 
• Mechatronics and mechanical engineering – Designing and building complex mechanical systems, including autonomous robots and conveyor systems for regolith handling 
• Virtual Reality (VR) and Human-Machine Interfaces – Enhancing mission planning and operations through immersive simulation and design tools 

What are you currently working on? 

Our flagship project this season is DISTOBEE, a compact, autonomous lunar excavator designed for the ESA & ESRIC Space Resources Challenge 2025. 

DISTOBEE is an innovative robotic system that uses a dual helical screw mechanism for continuous regolith excavation, transportation, and storage in a cylindrical trough. It’s built to operate under extreme lunar conditions — low gravity, vacuum, high abrasiveness — with a total system mass under 60 kg and energy consumption below 300 Wh. 

Have you received any awards, distinctions, or completed notable projects? 

- ESA & ESRIC Space Resources Challenge Finalist (2025) Our team was selected to participate in the final stage of the prestigious ESA & ESRIC Space Resources Challenge 2025. We will present our DISTOBEE excavation robot prototype to ESA experts in October 2025 — as one of the few student teams in Europe to qualify. 

- 1st Place for TORLECON 2.0 in Regolith Transport Challenge Our regolith conveyor system, TORLECON 2.0, won 1st place in a dedicated engineering competition focused on lunar material handling. The system successfully transported over 50 kg of simulated regolith over a 5-meter distance and 3-meter height, demonstrating both performance and robustness for lunar surface applications.