What is the University Rover Challenge (URC)?

According to URC: The University Rover Challenge (URC) is the world's premier robotics competition for college students. Held annually in the desert of southern Utah in the United States, URC challenges student teams to design and build the next generation of Mars rovers that will one day work alongside astronauts exploring the Red Planet.

URC according to me: A fantastic excuse to build kick ass robots, solve complex problems, learn new things, and generally do what I love with my friends

Extreme Retrieval and Delivery

We need to:

• Operate various knobs, buttons, switches etc on the lander

• Type a specific phrase on the keyboard

• Pick up a “cache” weighing in at 5kg, and place it in a drawer

Design Philosophy

Design for Utah, not Mars

• Commit to designs as early as possible, especially if they affect other systems

• The best part is no part

• If it can be off the shelf, it should be off the shelf

• Delete CNC, embrace sheet metal

• Solve problems with money instead of time if possible

• Make it pretty

Why did I adopt these?

… my experience at SpaceX

Basically, the rover needs to:

• Navigate rough terrain such as hills, rocks, sand, etc

• Pick up both small rocks ~.5” diameter and large rocks ~5” diameter

• Pick up various other crap

• Open tool boxes, latched boxes etc

• Operate up to 2km away

Design Requirements and Nice to Haves

Overall:

Commit to a design as as fast as possible (months before other subteams)

Start build as fast as possible

Near zero machined parts

Start build during first semester

Make it pretty

Frame:

• Committed to as early as possible

• Dedicated mounting for all systems

• Sheet metal

• Internal wiring

• Modular–ability to accommodate design changes