Mission Briefing

Your mission, should you choose to accept it.

Two competing research missions have been assigned to the same uncharted asteroid belt. Your team must tag and document undiscovered asteroids for your mission database, but your rival scientists are working the same region. Tag asteroids before they do. Stay hidden from their sensors. Manage your power between active scanning and passive mode. Deploy signal jammers to obscure your navigation vector. Each 180-second survey window is a strategic science mission focused on resource management and autonomous programming.

Asteroid-Bee is the Zero Robotics Middle School game for Summer 2026, a US open invite tournament where teams program real hardware developed at MIT.

Photograph the Other Science Satellite

Your satellite is equipped with a camera. Snap pictures of your opponent while they're in the Light Zone to score points, but watch out, they're trying to photograph you too!

Collect Asteroids

Scattered across the field are asteroids. Collect score-generating items and energy packs to keep your satellite powered and your score climbing.

Light & Dark Zones

The arena simulates orbital sunlight and shadow. Recharge energy in the Light Zone; hide in the Dark Zone where cameras can't reach you. Zones shift mid-round, adapt or fail.

Energy Management

Every action costs energy. Moving, photographing, or even scanning. Solar recharge only works in the Light Zone. Run out of energy, and your satellite goes dark.

Deploy Mirrors

Use mirror items to block incoming photographs and reflect opposing satellite camera shots at them, turning their imaging into wasted energy.

180-Second Rounds

Each match lasts exactly three minutes. Program your autonomous pilot to make every second count. No manual control, your code is your only agent in the field!

April

8

Registration Opens

Domestic open invite

June

22

Program Begins

Start coding your satellite

July

31

Final Submission

Last chance to submit code

August

7

Finals Day

Championship matches

Intelligence Briefings

Informational Webinars

Join us for live webinars to learn about the competition, the Zero Robotics platform, and how to prepare your team for the summer tournament. Open to all interested teachers and mentors.