Robert Lubanski
ERC Marsyard Coordinator
Design and build an advanced Mars rover that will perform all tasks on a simulated Martian surface with the utmost precision. Gain industry certification!
The challenge you’re about to take on is not the easiest but one of the most rewarding. Firstly, you must gather a team of fellow students from one or more universities and register a team. Your main task is to propose a rover design capable of tackling competition tasks based on real NASA & ESA space missions. Show your technical prowess, prove your team-building skills, and motivate others to work together. It’s up to you to choose who makes the best fit for a team member – while an engineering background is essential, your team will also benefit from interdisciplinary & soft skills! If your design qualifies for the competition finals, you’ll be invited to our Marsyard with ~25 other teams. Only then you’ll be able to show if your rover is capable of conquering the Marsyard.
Your mission was given a lander with two robots. One large, with a comprehensive set of sensors (Husarion Panther) and one small and nimble ideal for mixed indoor and outdoor applications (Husarion Lynx). The lander will be equipped with some computing power too – so you can host your expensive algorithms there. The gist of the mission is to investigate an old expedition crash site and figure out whether you can find a path through the hazardous waste scattered all over the place.
The exact task rules and scopes of the test runs will be published in the following weeks – right now we only wanted to spice up your imagination and give you a rough list of technical competences that your team needs to acquire.
Our main goal is to create interesting and demanding tasks for teams and ensure that their implementation takes place in accordance with standard processes taken from the R&D industries. We are certain that only due to this approach ERC participants will be ready to take on professional challenges in the space industry immediately after graduation.
Yes! Registration and participation in the competition are free of charge and do not require any fees.
ERC is a university team competition, therefore, a minimum of 75% of the team must be students, Ph.D. students, or recent graduates. Collaboration with specialists from different fields and university professors is allowed to some degree (please refer to the competition rules for details). Unlimited number of teams may register from the same university. What’s more, you can form a team made of multiple divisions and universities!
So you want to register to the next edition of the ERC? Great! Please get familiar with the competition rules & regulations which can be found on this page (above). If your team meets the requirements, please download and fill all attachments carefully, and send them to Konrad (ERC Team Coordinator) at teams@roverchallenge.eu. Be aware, that you are required to send all attached documents in order to register successfully.
Sure! First of all, take into account the phase of preparing the documentation. Many teams treat it as an introduction to further activities, but it is an essential element of the competition:
1) The ability to prepare documentation is essential in the work of most engineers.
2) The number of teams that will participate in the competition is limited, and the jury will decide whether you will be part of that group based on documentation.
3) We know it might sometimes be overwhelming, but don’t give up! The failures and lessons you learn from them make you a good engineer!
Check our Team Coordinator’s article titled “10 tips for a better start in the ERC!”
Unfortunately, we do not provide such support. Searching for sponsors on your own is a crucial step in any project’s development. It is worth considering from the beginning whether and how you can commercialize your work to prove to potential sponsors that it is worth investing in you. Also, check for additional financing opportunities at your university & public institutions in your country.
It’s up to you to decide who makes the best fit for your team! The ERC is an interdisciplinary experience – your team can be formed of students with different backgrounds and majors. While engineering is a crucial element of the competition, your team will greatly benefit from people dedicated to your team’s management, financing, electrical engineering, software development, and PR.
The certification is available to students and young professionals who participate and successfully qualify for the ERC finals. It is granted to every member of an eligible team whose role and contribution have been thoroughly documented & verified by the competition jury. Learn more here: LINK