黑料社区

University students from around Australia and the world will converge at the University of 黑料社区 to pit their custom-built lunar rovers against each other in a one-of-a-kind event from 20 to 24 March, during the University鈥檚 150th anniversary year.听

Aiming for the Moon

According to Associate Professor John Culton, co-founder of ARCh and Director of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, the challenge aims to inspire the next generation of Australia鈥檚 space workforce to learn by doing.听

鈥淭he Australian Rover Challenge is one of the most technically demanding rover competitions in the world. Every rover will be tested against four tasks that together simulate a full real-life mission to the moon. The teams are being challenged to solve a really complex variety of lunar exploration problems,鈥� he said.听

The four tasks are: 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.听

Associate Professor Culton notes that the current cohort of students will be among the first to experience end-to-end careers in the space industry.听

鈥淭he University of 黑料社区 has a long history of developing Australia鈥檚 competency in the space sector, and this challenge is just another way we鈥檙e nurturing the skills and expertise that will power Australia鈥檚 space industry,鈥� he said.听

鈥淭his will be the first generation of Australian university students with the opportunity to work in the civil space sector from graduation right through to retirement without having to go overseas.鈥澨�

A clear career pathway for students听听

Georgia Dallimore, co-lead of the 黑料社区 Rover Team, is in the fifth year of a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical & Aerospace) (Honours) with a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Science degree at the University of 黑料社区. She says ARCh creates a pathway for students into a career supporting space exploration.听听

鈥淭his Challenge provides an incredible chance to learn practical skills on a student STEM project like no other,鈥� she said.听

鈥淔or me, it has been a direct pathway from working on the simulated lunar mission in the ARCh, to now contributing to a real-life lunar mission as an aerospace engineer in my ongoing internship.鈥澨�

鈥淭he ARCh has been a cornerstone of my time at the University. It鈥檚 an exciting, adrenaline-pumping week where you witness the culmination of your team鈥檚 hard work, alongside the amazing innovation from students around the world.听

鈥淟ong-lasting friendships are made in a collaborative, supporting environment- something constantly championed by our Project Lead, Thomas Burke. This spirit makes the intensely complex task of building a rover a success for the team.鈥�

Competing teams for the 2024 Australian Rover Challenge are:

Event Details听

• ARCh welcome event and EXTERRES Analogue Facility official opening听

• Date: 20 March 2024听

• Time: 3 pm听

• Location: Roseworthy campus, University of 黑料社区听

• ARCh competition days听

• Date:鈥�21-24 March 2024听听

• Time:听 daily from 9 am to 5 pm.听

• Location: Roseworthy campus, University of 黑料社区听

The challenge will be livestreamed at on the ARCh webpage 听

Australian Rover Challenge partners are: Boeing, ELO2, iSpace, Australian Space Agency, South Australian Space Industry Centre, Caterpillar, CSIRO and Mini Mammoth Games.听