Cambodia Invites Applications for 7th International Space Station Robot Programming Challenge

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPTC) has recently announced the "7th Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Kibo-RPC)" for programming robots to operate on the International Space Station (ISS), opening applications until September 15, 2026. This program aims to promote learning and skill development in science, digital technology, engineering, physics, and mathematics, while enhancing international cooperation in space. Specifically, it offers Cambodian students and university students practical experience in coding within a simulator to control robots on the ISS. This initiative is designed to strengthen problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, teamwork, and capacity building related to the space sector, as well as to expand national and international networks. The competition is divided into two levels: an introductory level for high school students under 16 years old, and an intermediate level for high school or university students with coding knowledge, with no age limit. Eligibility criteria include Cambodian nationality (encouraging female applicants), team registration with 3-6 members per team, accurate and complete submission of application information, interest in space science, robotics, coding, or new technologies, and proficiency in Python or C++. Participants must also attend training or orientation sessions, self-study provided materials, and adhere to the competition rules. Participants will gain new knowledge and experience in coding and space science, receive training and guidance from experts, enhance their teamwork, analytical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, and build networks with students and professionals from various countries. Furthermore, winning student teams have the opportunity to represent Cambodia in international competitions. The top three winning teams at each level will receive certificates and cash prizes from the MPTC. For the introductory level, the first-place team will receive a certificate and 6 million Riel, the second-place team 3 million Riel, and the third-place team 1.4 million Riel. For the intermediate level, the first-place team will receive a certificate and 8 million Riel, along with the opportunity to compete in a regional competition in Japan. The second-place team will receive 4 million Riel, and the third-place team 2 million Riel. Should the Cambodian representative team place in the Top 5 at the regional level, an additional incentive prize of 12 million Riel will be awarded. Students and university students interested in obtaining further information can register for an introductory seminar scheduled for August 14, 2026, at the MPTC headquarters via https://go.gov.kh/mptc/seminar, by August 7, 2026. Teams wishing to participate in the competition can submit their applications through https://go.gov.kh/mptc/kibo-pro starting from the announcement date until September 15, 2026. Each team must write and submit their code (locally compiled code) into the simulator by January 15, 2027. Each team that submits code to the simulator must participate in the national competition within Cambodia during February 2027 to hear the pre-recorded simulation results and receive incentive prizes for the winning teams. The first-place team of the intermediate level is required to participate in the final regional competition in Japan around June 2027. Kampuchea Thmey Daily