KIBO Robot Programming Challenge - Space Faculty Singapore

Mission: Work with IB-2 to look for the leak on the ISS!

A minor pressure drop has been detected aboard the International Space Station (ISS). While the cause is still unknown, sending astronauts to investigate immediately could put them at unnecessary risk.

Instead, Int-Ball2 (IB-2), the ISS’ free-flying robotic camera, is deployed to carry out an initial inspection. Your mission is to guide IB2 through the station, inspect key areas, and determine whether there’s really a leak before it becomes a bigger problem!

Using your programming and navigation skills, pilot IB-2 through a series of inspection checkpoints across the ISS.

Based on previous mission data, the most likely locations for the leak include:

Structural joints
Areas around hatches
Edges of experimental racks

Each location is marked with AR checkpoints that you will need to guide IB2 to and inspect.

What is KIBO Robot Programming Challenge (RPC)?

The KIBO RPC was created by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2020 in partnership with member countries of the KIBO Asian Beneficial Collaboration initiative. Students are challenged to solve complex problems onboard the International Space Station (ISS) by programming free-flying robots (Astrobee) to complete various assigned tasks.

Mission Outcomes

1. Acquire programming skills required to become a free-flying robot expert capable of controlling and orientating robots in the unique setting of space.

2. Gain practical experience in applying programming skills to address real-world challenges relevant to Crew Support Practice, fostering a deeper understanding of astronaut assistance in space.

3. Learn how to create efficient real-world simulation programs and gain industry knowledge through networking opportunities.

4.Gain the exclusive opportunity to represent Singapore and run your program on IB-2 in real-time on the ISS.

Download Mission Guidebook

Activities

1. Guidance sessions conducted by JAXA and Space Faculty that will prep you with the necessary skills for the competition (Limited slots!)

2. Post-competition workshop for participants to share about their experience and learn from other participating teams

3. Networking opportunities with other participants and professionals from the Asia-Pacific region

Team Requirements

1. A team must comprise of 3 – 6 members and must appoint a team leader.

2. Students in the team must be based in Singapore or be Singaporeans based abroad (15 years old and above, to graduate level).

3. Each member is only allowed to register with one team (no individual registration).

4. All team members must have valid a email address.

Can’t join KIBO-RPC but eager to be part of other exciting space experiment activities? Explore more opportunities below:

KIBO-ABC

Game Flow for KIBO-RPC 2026

1. Start from the docking station.

2. After starting, IB-2 will navigate through multiple checkpoints aboard Kibo.

3. The position and orientation of checkpoints are provided to the participants at the start of the game. (As a random element)

4. Relative positions and attitudes from AR markers will be provided with tolerances and margins applied.

5. Take note that ‘points’ are actually volumetric spheres.

6. A series of checkpoints can include a flight path, the completion speed, accuracy of positions, and attitudes for reading AR markers are evaluated.

7. The order of visiting checkpoints is arbitrary; routes differ by participant.

8. Each checkpoint is specified by a relative position from an AR marker.

9. Please note that image recognition is not in the game rule for the 7th Kibo-RPC.

10. Your Goal conditions is to Reach the final goal checkpoint, or Successfully pass through all checkpoints.