Preparations Complete

We finished setting up the Sandbox today, and are ready to start competition attempts first thing tomorrow morning. We measured the compaction of the JSC-1A and compacted it, and have refined our process to be used between each team's competition attempt.

Several of the excavators were revealed today, making for a nice team check-in and reception. We got to quiz some of the teams about their designs and all of the staff and judges are excited to see them operating over the next couple of days. Some of the teams will continue working on their excavators until the final deadline at 7:00 AM, when they have to turn them over for judge inspection. After this point, the excavators are "impounded" and no further modifications are permitted. This is being done as a measure to ensure that teams performing later in the lineup don't have any strategic advantage over teams going before them. The excavation hardware will be on static display throughout the event for spectators to view.

Our panel of judges met this evening to discuss the competition process, and to discuss a couple of questions about interpretation of the rules. Several of the teams had questions or concerns they wanted to be included in the conversation, and the panel of judges was informed of these. All of the decisions that needed to be made before starting the competition have been addressed.

The preparations over the last couple of days have gone relatively well. There will be a flurry of activity starting tomorrow morning, and it will go on for two days. This should be fun!