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AGH Space Systems, together with Kalman, finished the prestigious University Rover Challenge (URC) for Martian rovers in the top ten, securing the eighth place. This position also marks the first place among European teams participating in the competition. Kalman also excelled in the Equipment Servicing Mission category, earning 93 out of 100 possible points.
The University Rover Challenge, organised by the Mars Society, took place from 31st May to 3rd June 2023 in the United States. A total of 104 teams from 15 countries competed for participation. 37 teams from 10 countries qualified for the final competition held in the Utah desert, which closely resembles the surface of Mars.
The final ranking was determined by the points earned in missions and the earlier project evaluation. The podium positions were secured by teams from the USA (first and third place) and Australia (second place). The AGH Space Systems team scored 274.17 out of 500 points.
All four competitions tested the technical parameters and performance of the rovers, as well as the knowledge and skills of the students. They were designed to simulate the challenges encountered during space exploration:
- Science Mission – collecting and testing soil samples to search for signs of life and to determine the most attractive area for further analysis as indicated by the judges,
- Extreme Delivery Mission – locating and delivering specific items to designated locations or to astronauts requiring assistance,
- Equipment Servicing Mission – performing precise operations on a panel resembling a planetary lander using a robotic arm,
- Autonomous Navigation Mission – autonomous movement of the rover to specified locations, individual poles, or special gates.
Kalman was transported to the USA in several parts, so just before the start of the competition, the AGH students meticulously assembled and tested the structure.
In the Equipment Servicing Mission, where Kalman performed the best among all rovers, a new module allowed it to demonstrate exceptional precision and speed in typing on the keyboard. The robotic arm also proved reliable in operating switches and joysticks, opening drawers and placing a box inside, tightening screws, and connecting a pen drive to the USB port. Many hours dedicated to the development of the manipulator and the gripper gave AGH Space Systems a significant advantage over other teams.
During the Science Mission, the AGH students were recognised for their research methodology and extensive knowledge. AGH Space Systems completed this mission ahead of schedule, which was made possible not only by numerous equipment deployment exercises, but also by the use of appropriate jaws specially designed for soil sampling and pre-developed trajectories of manipulator movements. During the Extreme Delivery Mission, Kalman's articulated wheels enabled agile manoeuvring between obstacles and navigation on challenging terrain, simulating the surface of Mars. This important detail did not go unnoticed by the judges. Unfortunately, technical issues prevented Kalman from participating in the Autonomous Navigation Mission, which had an impact on the overall result of the competition.
"We will use the lessons learned from participating in the URC to further improve our project. The opportunity to verify its assumptions in extreme conditions is most valuable to us. We thank everyone for the words of support that reached us before and during the competition. They are a constant source of our motivation, and even when things don't go according to plan, knowing that there is a group of people who always believe in us is what motivates us to keep fighting," say the students.
photo by KSAF AGH
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