Why is it Worth Participating in European Rover Challenge?

For almost a decade, the European Rover Challenge has gathered and inspired thousands of people about space and its exploration, providing visitors with an amazing experience and participants with valuable experience for their future work.

This year will be no different The 9th edition of European Rover Challenge will be attended by robotics teams from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Japan, India and Switzerland.

ERC 2023, in addition to the benefits of participating in a fascinating space project, will provide the academic teams with valuable proof of their skills in the form of the “ERC Space & Robotics Industry Standard Practice Programme” certificate.

Certifying the experience of the competition will strengthen the candidate’s position for jobs in space companies around the world. But that’s not the only reason to register for European Rover Challenge.

Why is it worth competing in the European Rover Challenge? What do the experiences of participants in the past eight editions tell us about the importance of competing for their future careers?

ERC is an invaluable experience in the carrier of a future engineer

Participation in the ERC competition is a unique opportunity for students to improve their own competence and present their skills in front of science and business audiences, the new-tech sector and the general public.

Construction and programming of a planetary robot require teamwork, knowledge and skills in many fields, such as mechatronic engineering, electronics, programming, automation, as well as project management. It is an interdisciplinary project that takes team struggles to the next level.

Student teams during the European Rover Challenge go through the process of constructing the rover in accordance with project management processes in the space sector. The first component is Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR). Construction of the rover begins after its design has been determined and some validation of it, but before engineering and detailed designs are developed.

The second, Critical Design Review (CDR), is conducted when the design is built and the team is expected to present what it believes is a finished solution. For large projects, there are often multiple design reviews between PDR and CDR.

The design reviews address the problem being solved, the design, the schedule and other relevant issues. Teams deliver to the track the product of their work at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5.

This means that they have verified the components or basic subsystems of the technology in a near-real environment, and the basic components of the technology are integrated with real supporting elements. During the European Rover Challenge, the rover can be tested under simulated operational conditions and evaluated by the competition jury.

“ERC is much more than an academic competition. It is a first gear toward robotic design, a launch pad to the world of space projects, and a shared experience. It’s the first step for technical space design and a sprint for all space industry passionates” says Michele Randine, Quality Assurance Manager structure and thermal TAS-I at Thales Alenia Space Italia, former European Rover Challenge finalist from DIANA team from Politecnico di Torino.

Certification has been introduced to validate participants’ skills

By participating in the ERC, students gain the practical experience necessary for later work for space sector entities or to start their own space business.

The biggest innovation of ERC 2023 is the implemented certification process conducted by space industry professionals. Now, each member of the team will be able to receive a document certifying their knowledge and experience.

Like other space industry certifications, the European Rover Challenge document will become a formal acknowledgment of the participant’s contribution to the process of building the rover, as well as the commitment to the project.

While engineering design is a key component of the competition, team members will also have the chance to receive a certificate acknowledging their work in various areas, such as project management or software development.

Each member of the team will be evaluated individually in terms of the amount of work invested in the project and the scope of their competence. This means that the certificate obtained will be a true reflection of knowledge and experience. The student will receive confirmation of his or her strengths: in mechatronics, programming, project management, or soft skills.

Participants state that competing in the ERC offers the chance oto gain experience across a broad spectrum.

“ERC has been a great opportunity to learn, develop and refine technical and managerial skills; a playground where to exchange ideas and challenge different solutions. Now, as an avionics system engineer, I can appreciate the competitiveness of that skills in the labor market, making me more efficient and professional in my job. ERC is also a network of people and a teamwork experience giving a huge value added to the university career”, says Stefano Bonicelli, System Engineer at LEONARDO.

He is echoed by Jan Brzyk, head of the rover section at AGH Space Systems, winner of last year’s ERC, “ERC gives us an incredible opportunity to grow in every dimension of rover construction, from the fundamentals of engineering, programming, to the ability to get sponsors and manage project finances to team communication.”

“Having participated in the competition for several years now, we have gained experience that cannot be overestimated in the job market. Graduates of AGH Space Systems, thanks to their involvement in the ERC project today are working in the largest entities in the space and robotics sector, such as ICEYE, GMV, SENER, Bombardier, Husarion, or are starting their businesses in the space sector”.

Obtaining an European Rover Challenge certificate will further strengthen the position of young engineers in the recruitment process for space companies, as the candidate will receive credible confirmation of his or her experience, backed by the authority of the professionals from the Jury of the competition.

According to Chiara Chiesa, International PR & Space Tech Transfer and Commercialization Advisor, “Events like European Rover Challenge are the stepping stone to involve the great space players and agencies to show youth that space is not only about astronauts, but it needs many other figures and professionals to develop and bring space benefits to Earth. Space is key for the technological development of a country and is becoming essential to boost economy and growth.”

The ERC is open to anyone, regardless of where they come from

Starting in 2021, teams compete in both ON-SITE and REMOTE formulas. Thanks to this decision European Rover Challenge allows all willing teams to join the competitions, regardless of where they are located on the globe during the competition.

The remote formula not only equalizes the chances of all participants but also brings the entire competition process closer to the teleopearance present in space mission management centers around the world.

The teams in the competition are created by students, at different stages of education, who make up amazing projects. Michael Biselx, of the Swiss EPFL XPLORE team says: “Besides making a bunch of unforgettable memories and a number of new friends, I was able to participate in a truly amazing project with an interdisciplinary team of (future)scientists, engineers and managers. Best of all: because the team was all students, many doing this for the first time, it was delightfully chaotic, giving us all a lot of insight into each other’s activities and struggles – invaluable experience for our future occupations in the >real world<“.

Each participation in the ERC is an experience that boosts one’s position at the start of the next edition or other robotics competitions.

Most academic teams, after starting (even unsuccessfully) in many editions decide to return to the Martian track the following year. They are richer in experience from the previous attempts, more mature in design and can learn from their own (and other teams’) mistakes.

What’s more, the jury’s substantive feedback is an extremely important element of preparation for the next year’s competition. Academic teams receive practical knowledge supported by expert experience, which they would not have had a chance to acquire in the normal course of their studies. It gives them inspiration for further work.

“Once back in Italy we started to think about new strategies to enhance our work schedule, now we divided the work into stable points, distributed among the year so that if something goes wrong we can go back to the previous stable point and have a rover with a certain degree of functionality already developed and tested,” says Leonardo Maria Festa of the Italian DIANA team.

ERC topics are based on current trends in space exploration

This year’s edition will be conducted in a new format. It has been adapted to the experience of the event’s partners from the European Space Agency, NASA and the expectations of space professionals.

Solutions proposed by members of the teams that participated in the eight previous editions have also been implemented.

In 2023 more teams will qualify for the finals (from about 20 to 25) and the tasks posed to the rovers, will be enriched with new rules: the maximum weight of the rover will be increased to 75 kg to accommodate larger batteries and a drilling mechanism. Teams will be also able to add a drone to their equipment.

“We are confident that our finalists, thanks to their ERC experience, will soon join the research teams that will lead the exploration of our satellite” – says Lukasz Wilczynski of the European Space Foundation, the organizer of the ERC.

The Inspiration Zone welcomes extraordinary guests every year

The European Rover Challenge is not only a competition but also technology demonstrations and inspiring debates. For almost a decade, they have been an important part of the event, bringing the space sector closer to audiences from around the world and raising awareness of the growing role of modern technology in human life.

Each year, world-class specialists, industry leaders and scientists have met on the ERC stages.

The ERC has featured: astronauts, experts from major technology companies, leaders of space agencies or researchers from global universities. European Rover Challenge creates a platform for knowledge exchange for university students, space enthusiasts and potential employees in the space sector.

Therefore, the event’s program includes interdisciplinary debates on the future of human settlement on Mars, the survival of the first astronauts in the lunar bases announced by NASA or ESA, as well as important topics related to the commercialization and use of space technologies on Earth.

The ERC in previous years’ editions has hosted such figures as Robert Cabana – NASA deputy director, Steve Jurczyk – former NASA deputy director, dr Robert Zubrin – founder of The Mars Society, dr Harrison Schmitt – geologist, NASA astronaut and the crew member of the last mission to the Moon in 1972 – Apollo 17, and Tim Peake – former European Space Agency astronaut.

ERC audiences come from all over the world

Participation in the European Rover Challenge allows teams to present their skills and competencies not only to members of the Jury, but also to guests of the event from the space sector and a wider audience interested in space exploration. The opportunity to showcase your project and skills in front of an international audience can not only be very rewarding, but also opens many doors to careers.

And European Rover Challenge audiences are not just those present on-site. Through broadcasts and live coverage on social media, the event has reached a wide audience around the world, spreading scientific and technological achievements in space and robotics.

In last year’s European Rover Challenge, thanks to the reach of social media and online coverage, the teams’ struggles were followed by more than half a million people from the farthest corners of the world.

The European Rover Challenge is held under the patronage of the European Space Agency ESA and the Polish Space Agency.

For years, the event has also been supported by the presence of NASA, ESA & German Space Agency DLR Decision Makers, astronauts, industrial entities: EUSPA, International Space University, The Mars Society, Explore Mars, Austrian Space Forum, Thales Alenia Space, GMV, Planet Labs and SENER. This year’s edition is organized by the European Space Foundation, a member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

Co-organizers of this year’s edition are:  Kielce University of Technology and Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship. The role of the Host City of the event belongs to the City of Kielce. The project is co-financed by the “Social Responsibility of Science” program of the Polish Minister of Education and Science.

All information about the event can be found on the website: www.roverchallenge.eu

Written by Maciek Mysliwiec