This is not a science fiction movie scenario. As part of the Mars rover competition taking place in September – the European Rover Challenge – a site reflecting the surface of Mars has been built. Thanks to a weeks-long work of planetary geologists, logistics experts and organizers, a several-hundred-ton structure measuring nearly 900 square meters was created, which will be the arena for the struggles of the teams participating in this year’s ERC. The event is making its debut in Krakow and will take place September 6-8 at the AGH University of Krakow.
The resulting piece of the Red Planet is known as Marsyard, a place where future space engineers can learn how to safely operate on the surface of another planet with the Martian robots they have constructed. This, among other things, is what the European Rover Challenge, a prestigious space-robotic event organized for 10 years in Poland by the European Space Foundation, is all about. This year’s edition will be held for the first time in Krakow.
Marsyard is constructed from several hundred tons of red porphyry from the Zalas mine. This is a rock that is found in the vicinity of Cracow and perfectly reflects some of the properties of the surface of Mars. More than a dozen people participated in the development and construction of the surface of the Red Planet in Krakow: scientists, technicians and project partners.
– Relocating the surface of Mars to Krakow is an engaging project and quite a logistical operation. We started with theoretical work already a few months ago, when we analyzed satellite images of the Red Planet and selected characteristic areas that we can map on Earth. We are currently working on making Marsyard as geologically realistic as possible, looking attractive, but also allowing us to safely conduct the competition,” says Dr. Anna Losiak, planetary geologist and ERC Chief Science Officer.
This year’s edition of the ERC is special not only because of the event’s celebrated tenth anniversary, but also because of changes related to the location of the competition – here both in Poland and on Mars. The event will be held in Krakow for the first time, and will be created in cooperation with AGH University of Krakow, which will host the event.
– In previous editions, we were inspired by northern locations on Mars, especially those where Mars mission rovers landed. This year we have moved to a completely different location and will be working on the surface of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in the Solar System, measuring as much as 4,000 km long, 8 km deep and up to 400 km wide. It’s a gigantic geological structure and one of the most interesting places on the Red Planet, especially in terms of research and its future, since it’s a potential location for building a future Martian base,” says Dr. Anna Losiak.
A pop-science conference will be held simultaneously with the ERC rover competition, featuring speakers from international space agencies and companies. Experts will talk about the future of space exploration, settlement plans and show the impact of space technology on everyday life on Earth.
This year’s European Rover Challenge will be held September 6-8 at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow. The event is open to all fans of Mars, space and space technology. There will be a STEM Exhibit for visitors, where they will be able to take advantage of free workshops and conduct scientific experiments at exhibitors’ booths. Business enthusiasts will also find something for themselves, as this edition of the ERC will feature one of eight European CASSINI Matchmaking meetings, thanks to a partnership with the European Union Space Program Agency (EUSPA). This is a networking platform through which early-stage startups receive support in preparing for meetings with investors and corporations, increasing their ability to attract equity funding and establish partnerships.
The organizers of the 10th edition of the European Rover Challenge are the European Space Foundation and the AGH University of Krakow. The event is under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Education, the European Space Agency (ESA), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the Deputy Marshal of the Małopolska Region and the Space Sector Employers Association. The project is financed by funds from the state budget granted by the Minister of Education and Science under the “Social Responsibility of Science II” Program. Partners of the event are CASSINI Matchmaking, the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow, Mars Society Poland, Polish Space Professionals Association (PSPA), MathWorks, 3Dconnexion, Pyramid Games, Pokojowy Patrol, SpaceShip Foundation, Empiria i Wiedza Foundation and the Business in Malopolska Center with financial support from the Malopolska Region. A supporting partner in the construction of Marsyard is the Kopalnie Porfiru i Diabazu Company.