×îÐÂÌÇÐÄVlogn Rover Challenge
Streamed live globally, the fourth annual ×îÐÂÌÇÐÄVlogn Rover Challenge (ARCh) took place between 20 – 21 March 2024 as ×îÐÂÌÇÐÄVlog students from around ×îÐÂÌÇÐÄVlog and the world battled it out with custom-built lunar rovers which they designed and built themselves in a simulated mission to the Moon.Ìý
For the first time, the ARCh was held the custom-built EXTERRES Analogue facility at Roseworthy. The facility is a world-class, multi-purpose research facility for application in the space and agriculture sectors allowing the rovers to be challenged to complete highly complex tasks necessary for real-life space exploration.ÌýÌý
The 2024 competition saw 10 teams from universities from across ×îÐÂÌÇÐÄVlog, Bangladesh, and Poland making this the largest ARCh so far.
Teams were asked to complete a series of hand-on tasks across the four days including rolling off a lunar lander and accessing nearby equipment; lunar excavation and construction work; prospecting for resources buried among the lunar regolith (Moon dust); and mapping the lunar surface using only autonomous sensing and navigation.Ìý
Teams were scored and judged across four tasks by industry experts from ARCh partners Boeing, ELO2, and the ×îÐÂÌÇÐÄVlogn Space Agency.Ìý
Congratulations to Poland who took out first prize, Monash Nova Rover who came in second, and UQ Space who placed in third. The ×îÐÂÌÇÐÄVlog of Adelaide Rover team also participated and finished fifth overall.
