Destination: Deep Space

Each alliance has their own Alliance Station that is positioned at one of the ends of the field. The Alliance Station is where drivers control their robots, human players deliver game pieces to robots, and coaches give advice to their team members. Each alliance station features two game piece holding areas on either side of their driver stations.

Depots are placed on the field next to the alliance stations, with two per alliance. Before the match starts, alliances are permitted to stage cargo in their respective depots for robots to retrieve during the match.

The sandstorm is installed above each alliance's alliance station, and is used to block the drive team's vision of the field during the sandstorm period. Once that period ends, the sandstorm retracts in order to allow drivers to see the field for the remainder of the match.

Each alliance station features two loading stations near the edges of the alliance station. Human players use the loading stations to deliver hatch panels and cargo to robots through a chute, where they can be collected by a waiting robot.

There are four rockets on the field, two per alliance. Each rocket features three levels, made up of two bays, where game pieces can be scored. Two hatch panels and two pieces of cargo can be scored on each level.

There are two cargo ships placed in the middle of the field, one per alliance. As with the rockets, each cargo ship features bays where hatch panels and cargo can be scored. Each cargo ship has eight bays, each capable of holding one hatch cover and one cargo.

Each alliance controls one hab platform near the alliance station wall. Robots start the match at their alliance's respective hab platform, and must return to the same platform at the end of the match. Each hab platform has three levels, and parking on a higher level at the end of the match earns the alliance more points.

There are two scoring elements in Destination: Deep Space; hatch panels and cargo. Hatch panels are 19 in. (~48 cm) diameter polycarbonate toroids, and cargo is represented by orange 13 in. (~33 cm) playground balls.

Before the match begins, teams may discuss and select their robots’ starting formation (i.e., which HAB level they will begin on), as well as which game pieces they will preload into the cargo ship. Each of the six side slots may be loaded with either a cargo ball or a ‘null’ hatch panel

For the 2019 season, the sandstorm period is the first 15 seconds of the match and replaces the autonomous period, which had been used in many previous FRC games. Robots start the match at their respective HAB platforms, fully supported by HAB platform level one or two. The Sandstorm is a black curtain that begins down to obscure players’ vision of the field. During the period, robots can act solely on pre-programmed instructions, therefore acting autonomously, or under control of their drivers with the optional aid of a vision system mounted on the robot (as they are unable to directly see the field due to the Sandstorm). Robots can earn points in a variety of ways. For each robot that fully crosses the HAB line during the sandstorm period, the alliance earns three points if the robot started on HAB platform level one and six points if the robot started on level two. Robots are also able to earn points for scoring hatch panels and cargo on their alliance's rockets and cargo ship. As these actions carry the same point value as if they occurred in the tele-operated period (or teleop), they will be further discussed in that section. After the 15 second sandstorm period expires, the curtain retracts to grant players vision of the field, and teleop begins.

Electromagnets inside the cargo ship release after this period ends, releasing any cargo not secured by hatch panels. Therefore, there is some risk in selecting to load the cargo ship with cargo balls over null hatch panels - the null hatch panels will immediately hold a cargo ball, for a total value of (0 + 2 =) 2 points, however, a cargo ball secured by a hatch panel before the end of the sandstorm phase is worth a total value of (3 + 2 =) 5 points.

Scoring is further described in the Scoring Summary section.

After the sandstorm period ends, the tele-op period begins, which lasts for 135 seconds. Drivers control their robot from their Driver Station and human players may deliver game pieces to the robots. During this period, as in autonomous, every hatch panel scored on a rocket or cargo ship will earn two points for the alliance. Additionally, scoring cargo into a rocket or cargo ship will earn three points for the alliance. Hatch Panels must be scored before cargo (as the cargo will simply roll out), unless there are Hatch Panels installed on the bay.

The last 30 seconds of the teleop period is called the endgame. During this time, robots can earn additional points by climbing back onto their alliance's HAB platform. A robot ending the match on HAB level one will earn the alliance 3 points, while ending the match on level two will earn 6 points and ending the match on level three will earn 12 points.

In tournament play, teams are ranked by their Ranking Score, or the average number of Ranking Points they achieve per match. Ranking Points are earned through both winning matches and completing secondary objectives. Therefore, it is more beneficial to focus on accumulating as many ranking points as possible, rather than simply winning every match.

An alliance can earn a ranking point during the qualification rounds by accumulating a total of 15 points at the end of the match through climbing the HAB, known as the HAB docking bonus. An alliance can also earn a ranking point by completing one rocket, which entails scoring two hatch panels and two pieces of cargo on each of its three levels. A foul will result in 3 points being credited to the opposing alliance, and a technical foul will result in 10 points being credited to the opposing alliance.

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