A Mars rover is a specific type of robot that is designed to be able to operate in difficult terrain (mapping the conditions on the Red Planet) and perform research, repairs and auxiliary tasks. Every year, student teams test the abilities of their rovers at international competitions – such as the European Rover Challenge (ERC). This is a competition that takes place at the University of Technology in Kielce. It will last from 15 to 17 September and, like the last editions, it will be carried out in two formulas: stationary and remote.

25 teams representing 12 countries will compete in Kielce. There are only three teams from Poland in this group. That our two teams qualified for the competition (54 teams submitted their applications) is already a success. However, WUT students do not rest on their laurels.

What's new in the KNR Rover Team

– In our current work on the rover, we have focused on improving off-road capabilities by replacing propulsion engines – after facing challenges in previous competitions, we decided that this is necessary to continue achieving success – says Mikołaj Stasiak from the KNR Rover Team. – At the same time, we are also developing the rover’s autonomous work capabilities, a feature that’s also needed during competitions. We constantly aim to improve the existing systems and solutions.

The rover of the Robotics Science Club is built so that its operating modules can be easily exchanged: the manipulator can quickly be replaced with a drill or a compact laboratory.

– We are proud to say that this year we constructed an extension that allows us to mount a manipulator and a drill at the same time – says Mikołaj Stasiak. – We are also very pleased with the current capabilities of the rover's autonomous operation. It is able to fully simulate its work in real time and analyse the surrounding area based on camera images. Thanks to the use of many sensors, it can very accurately determine its position in space.

At the moment 25 people are involved in the whole project. They work in four sections: mechanical, electronic, software and autonomy, and are mainly students of the following Faculties: Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Electronics and Information Technology, and Mechatronics.

– We are open to all students interested in active work on the rover – stresses Mikołaj Stasiak. – This is one of the four main projects in our Circle. We’d like to invite our fellow students to join the KNR – recruitment will probably start in the second half of October.

The rover constructed by the team from the Robotics Science Club

SKA Robotics on the road to development

In June, the SKA Robotics team took part in the University Rover Challenge (URC) in the United States. This does not mean, however, that there is less work on the rover for the ERC.

– What sets the competition in Kielce apart is the fact that the qualified teams must propose a Mars mission themselves – Rafał Baczewski explains. – This includes aspects such as the selection of a safe landing site, the development of the rover’s route, and the selection of sites that are potentially valuable for scientific sampling and testing. Such activities should not only be carefully planned, but also mapped on a specially prepared square that imitates the surface of Mars, called MarsYard. The rover performs a number of activities on it, simulating its work on the Red Planet – from tasks to demonstrate the functionality of the robotic arm, through autonomous driving to the research mission mentioned before.

These are fixed points of rover competitions around the world. Increasingly, new ones are added to the already well-known tasks – related to the creation of a real mission scenario that could happen in the future. The organizers of the European Rover Challenge also opted for this approach.

– In addition to the three tasks facing the rover, the participants prove their skills in project management, team management and documenting their work – Franciszek Gniot explains. – This is done by providing extensive documentation and giving presentations at the Kielce University of Technology. This approach prepares us students for work in the Polish space sector, while also expanding our skills with aspects that are not explored during the standard study programme.

The Sirius II rover constructed by the Student Astronautical Club

The current SKA Robotics rover – Sirius II – is a continuation of the programme initiated in the Student Astronautical Club a few years ago. Since then, the rover’s structure has been improved to better its performance on the one hand, and, on the other, to make renovation work easier.

– The latest aspects of the project include, for example, the use of a drone to support ground operations, which is similar to what the Ingenuity drone is doing on Mars right now, and conducting independent research into its potential successor – the Condor drone – lists Rafał Baczewski.

– Recently, we have also modernised the research module on board the rover, which will enable the collection and analysis of soil samples and the search for ice under the surface – adds Franciszek Gniot. – Such research is carried out on Mars using robots to better understand the geology and history of the planet. By expanding our knowledge of these topics, in the future we will be able to choose holiday destinations for our dream Martian vacation with greater confidence and peace of mind.

Over 20 students representing 7 Faculties of the Warsaw University of Technology are working on the construction of the SKA Robotics rover. They primarily hail from the Power and Aeronautical Engineering Faculty, but there are also representatives of Mechatronics, Automotive and Construction Machinery Engineering, Electronics and Information Technology, Electrical Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry.

– By combining knowledge from various fields of science, we are able to develop the project and compete for a place on the podium with teams from around the world – says Rafał Baczewski. – Our participation in the competition increases our enthusiasm for work and poses real challenges for us, allowing us to use – in practice – the theoretical knowledge we have gained during our studies.