Moon Lunabotics Challenge: RIEGL USA’s Role in 2025

May 9, 2025
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Updated February 9, 2026
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3 min read

To the Moon and Beyond: RIEGL USA, Allen & Company, NASA, and UCF Team Up for the Second Year in the 2025 Lunabotics Challenge.

Robotic rover operating in a simulated lunar environment during the Lunabotics Challenge.
RIEGL VZ-600i in the UCF Exolith Lab collecting data for the 2024 Lunabotics Challenge

In a recent article published by Commercial Construction & Renovation Magazine, the continued collaboration between RIEGL USA, Allen & CompanyNASA, and the University of Central Florida (UCF) during the Lunabotics Challenge is detailed. This marks the second year that RIEGL USA will be part of the prestigious Lunabotics Challenge, an event that brings together over 40 university teams from across the United States to design and build robotic rovers capable of navigating and conducting missions on a simulated lunar surface.

The Lunabotics Challenge, hosted by UCF from May 16-19, aims to inspire and prepare the next generation of space engineers and innovators. The top 10 teams will advance to the final round at Kennedy Space Center from May 20-22.

RIEGL USA is contributing its cutting-edge LiDAR technology to the competition. The RIEGL VZ-600i terrestrial laser scanner is being utilized to collect data on the performance of the student-designed lunar vehicles. This technology allows for precise measurement of the quantity of lunar regolith transported by the rovers, which is crucial for evaluating the success of their missions.

RIEGL USA is excited to continue its involvement in this groundbreaking initiative for the second year and looks forward to supporting the Lunabotics Challenge in the years to come.

Read the full article detailing the 2024 Lunabotics Challenge and how this collaboration not only supported STEM education but also fostered innovation in space exploration: “To the Moon” and Back with RIEGL USA, Allen & Company, and the NASA Lunabotics Challenge | The RIEGL Newsroom

About RIEGL:

RIEGL is an international leading provider of cutting-edge technology in airborne, mobile, terrestrial, industrial and UAV-based laser scanning solutions for applications in surveying.

RIEGL has been producing LiDAR systems commercially for over 40 years and focuses on pulsed time-of-flight laser radar technology in multiple wavelengths.

RIEGL’s core smart-waveform technologies provide pure digital LiDAR signal processing, unique methodologies for resolving range ambiguities, multiple targets per laser shots, optimum distribution of measurements, calibrated amplitudes and reflectance estimates, as well as the seamless integration and calibration of systems.

RIEGL’s Ultimate LiDARTM 3D scanners offer a wide array of performance characteristics and serve as a platform for continuing Innovation in 3D for the LiDAR industry.

From the first inquiry, to purchase and integration of the system, as well as training and support, RIEGL maintains an outstanding history of reliability and support to their customers.

Worldwide sales, training, support and services are delivered from RIEGL’s headquarters in Austria and in the USA; main offices in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, UK, South America, Germany, and France; and a worldwide network of representatives.

www.rieglusa.com

www.riegl.com

Read More Recent RIEGL news HERE

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Nathan Roe of Lidar News

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