What is URC?
The University Rover Challenge (URC) is a globally recognized competition held annually at the Mars Society Research Center, where the top 36 teams from various countries compete with their rovers. The competition is designed to simulate the challenging environment of Mars.
Science Mission: Testing the rover's ability to perform geological and biological experiments.
Extreme Delivery: Assessing the rover's navigation and payload delivery in rough terrains.
Equipment Servicing: Evaluating the rover's precision in manipulating and servicing equipment.
Autonomous Navigation: Focusing on the rover's ability to navigate autonomously with no human intervention.
Timeline of URC
Registration: November 2023, submit a registration form for URC 2024
Preliminary Design Review (PDR): December 1st. 2023, The report should detail the team's structure, resources, project management approach, and initial technical design, with judges evaluating the team's readiness for the URC competition.
The System Acceptance Review (SAR): March 2024, The report involves submitting a five-minute video and a six-page paper showcasing the rover's abilities. The top 36 teams with the highest scores will be selected to participate in the final competition at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) near Hanksville, Utah.
Chemical Safety Plan: Teams must monitor the usage of chemicals from the point of purchase to their safe and appropriate disposal, a process known as "cradle to grave" tracking.
Why is URC?
The rover is an advanced robotic system, that incorporates multiple essential STEM fields to create a system capable of executing complicated tasks. It features complex systems such as a Manipulator, Suspension Structure, heat ventilation for desert conditions, regolith Scientific Sampling, Autonomous Navigation, and more. We chose this project to enhance our learning curve and document the process of building a rover, which will assist in the development of future robotic projects. Furthermore, the complex composition and integration of multiple systems in the rover project provide us with a unique opportunity to contribute to the STEM community. We aim to share insights on tackling engineering challenges and inspire the initiation of new engineering projects. Our participation in the URC is a significant opportunity for us to grow and excel in robotics.