Dresden (dpa / sn) – A Mars rover called Merope is being developed at the TU Dresden – for an international competition. According to TU information, a group of students wants to use the vehicle to compete against 15 other teams from seven countries at the European Rover Challenge (ERC) in Kielce/Poland (September 9th to 11th). Like the real models Curiosity or Perseverance, the vehicles will autonomously explore the terrain on the world’s largest artificial Mars test site, navigate through crater landscapes or take soil samples. The 1,500 square meter “Mars Yard” with craters, dunes and “lava” flows is said to be meticulously modeled on the Elysium region of the planet.
Merope is a joint project of students from various disciplines such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and mechatronics. Their combined knowledge enables the implementation of ideas “that would be impossible for a single person to handle,” said team leader Jonas Weis according to the announcement. Another advantage is the networking already in the basic course and the practical application of what has been learned.
The ERC is the largest space robotics event in Europe, brings science, business and the public together and is one of the most renowned robotics competitions in the world. The challenge has been organized by the European Space Foundation in Poland since 2014 and supported by leading space organizations such as the European Space Agency (ESA).
