News and
Media Relations contact:
Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU
Moonbuggy contact: Dr.
Saeed Foroudastan, 615-494-8786 (office),
615-417-2761
(cell) or Saeed.Foroudastan@mtsu.edu
MTSU Moonbuggy team savors best in U.S. distinction
MURFREESBORO
— The Middle Tennessee
State University Moonbuggy team’s best-ever finish in the international Great
Moonbuggy Race had an added distinction.
By finishing
behind teams from Puerto Rico and Russia, MTSU Team 1 and its new Moonbuggy
found itself best in the United States following the second of two days of
competition Saturday, April 27.
Judges awarded
first place in the college and university division to the team from the
University of Puerto Rico at Hamacao, which was second in 2012. The
International Space Education Institute/Moscow Aviation University’s “Team
Russia” was runner-up.
“We were first
in the nation (among U.S. college teams),” senior co-captain Ryan Miller of
Murfreesboro said of the accomplishment. “We beat TTU (Tennessee Technological
University), Ohio State, Texas A&M and Auburn — some pretty high-up
engineering schools.”
Also, MTSU
shared the Most Improved Award with Huntsville Center for Technology Team 1, for the “most dramatically improved engineering and
performance,” and a YouTube video animation/simulation edited by Miller
and created by he HIM and co-captain Brian Julian of Spring Hill, Tenn.,
drew rave reviews throughout the weekend event.
MTSU Team 1, with
drivers Kevin Conner of Norman, Okla., and Devin Raines of Murfreesboro aboard
the vehicle, improved significantly on its second run Saturday. They wheeled
through the three-quarter mile obstacle course in 4 minutes, 23 seconds, and
without penalty. Miller praised the drivers’ efforts both days.
MTSU adviser
Dr. Saeed Foroudastan said the winning college entry did not finish its second
run on Saturday, but the judges awarded them the top honor based on the team’s
first-day showing on Friday.
Miller said
Team 1’s suspension, gear ratio, steering and assembly time worked well,
particularly on Day 2, and led to the strong finish, Miller said.
Other team
members include senior Sadie Swaney of Clarksville, Tenn., senior Joseph Honea
of Tullahoma, Tenn., senior Mike Myers of Greeneville, Tenn., junior Steven
Chaput of Manchester, Tenn., and junior Thomas Cox of Nashville.
MTSU’s
Moonbuggy teams have placed as high as fourth overall and earned two safety
awards since entering the competition in 2003.
For more
information about the 20th annual event, visit http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov.
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news any time, visit www.MTSUNews.com.
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