Nuclear Space Potatoes
2025/2026 Season - DECODE
In their second season, the Nuclear Space Potatoes dug into an archaeology-themed challenge, exploring how to solve problems like real-world archaeologists. The team built, coded, and tested their robot to tackle this seasons scoring objectives. Their efforts earned them 1st Place Think Award and a 6th place finish at the tournament. While they didn’t advance to playoffs, the team is proud of everything they accomplished and excited to take what they learned into next year’s challenge!
The Game
This season’s FIRST Tech Challenge game is called DECODE and is inspired by archaeology and uncovering artifacts. In each match, two teams work together in an alliance to score purple and green “artifacts” into goals, build patterns, and race back to their base, all before time runs out. Teams start with a 30‑second autonomous period where the robot runs on its own using sensors to decode the randomized match motif (the pattern they’re aiming to create). After that, drivers take control for two minutes to collect and score artifacts and earn points, then work to return their robot to base before the match ends. The team with the most points wins the match.
The Robot
The Nuclear Space Potatoes spent over 12 weeks designing and building a student robot with a rat-trap catapult and an intake system to score artifacts more efficiently, but a small tension issue in the catapult kept it from performing correctly. With time running out before the tournament, the team brought a modified REV Starter Bot on a goBilda chassis, giving it a stronger base and better wheels. As we tested the starter robot throughout the season, we made other improvements to its design and coding, learning how small changes could make a big difference in completing the main scoring objective, autonomous, and end-game. Before the season ended, the team was already working on a second student-built design, and they are continuing to refine it for off-season events, ready to keep improving and innovating.
Beyond the Robot
This season was about much more than building a robot. The Nuclear Space Potatoes invested in learning from incredible mentors, including CAD training with Robert Walsh, founder of Excalibur Solutions STEM Academy; 3D printing with Bill Cook; leadership development with SFC Neeld; public speaking with Matt Griswold; mechanical engineering with Scott Bybee and Mike Suter of ESC Incorporated; and ongoing coding mentorship from Lucas Rice, a student at SBU. The team applied the engineering design process, brainstormed solutions, and strategically refined their ideas throughout the season.
They also completed 13 outreach events, reaching over 2,400 individuals and directly inspiring three students to join our new FLL team. One team member even stepped into a mentorship role, helping the FLL team with coding. Over months of weekly meetings, the team grew not only as engineers, but as leaders, communicators, and teammates.
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