A permanent base on Mars, established by global space agencies and companies, faces the significant challenge of long-term radiation exposure. The proposed solution is to construct an underground base, using Martian soil as a natural radiation barrier. An extinct lava tube, potentially containing ice, has been identified for exploration with a tender issued to design and manufacture a rover capable of exploring this cave, identifying ice deposits using a surface-penetrating end effector, and sending the sample data back to Earth via the Mars Relay Network. This local access to ice is crucial for the long-term viability of the Martian habitat.
The team is made up of 12 individuals, divided into four specialized subsystem groups: Mechanical, Robotics Control, Electronics, and Software. Each group has a lead who guides the team in building a rover that fulfils the mission objectives.
The project incorporates autonomous object detection and manipulator control, and introduces an innovative approach to vehicle design dynamics for Mars terrain navigation. This project offers students a comprehensive understanding of the product design and development process from inception, including hands-on experience in their respective subsystem tasks and exposure to cross-functional team integrations. This provides a snapshot of the industrial product development process within a university setting.
