Poland can into rovers

[czokletmuss]

In the rugged desert landscape of southern Utah, 7.5 miles from the nearest town, 10 student teams competed in the Mars Society's annual University Rover Challenge (URC). Six seasoned engineering students from Bialystok University of Technology in Poland took first place with the "Hyperion" craft  their prototype for what a future Mars rover might look like.

"Out of 500 possible points, they scored 493  the highest-ever score at URC!" said Kevin Sloane, director of the challenge. Another Polish team, Scorpio 3 from the Wroclaw University of Technology, took second place, with 401 points. Brigham Young University placed third, with 350 points.

http://www.space.com/21419-best-student-rover-2013-urc.html

I generally concern national pride as stupid but knowing how dramatically ignored and underfinanced is science and especially space-related things in Poland (even tough that we joined ESA 7 months ago) I have to admit it's a pretty big deal. Just sayin, if it doesn't fit into this subforum please move it to the OT subforum

[tek_604]

First, well done to the team who managed this.

But, I have to wonder why they'd develop a potential Mars Rover. As you say, Poland is a member of ESA, and the only Mars rover on the board is ExoMars, and I believe that might not ever fly, despite the amount of work done on it already - I work a few corridors away from the guys developing the MOMA instrument for ExoMars, and its a scary time for all of us, in case it never flies.

Its a hell of a time to start this kind of thing, let me tell you!

[dagothar]

Ha, these are the guys from my university

They did a really good job. I wouldn't say the rover is (yet) spaceworthy, but for sure it's a great start.

[AstronautGeologist]

I was born in Poland.

[AstronautGeologist]

Maybe us KSPers should band together and enter a groundbreaking, totally awesome design into a rover contest?

[Sapphire]

Maybe us KSPers should band together and enter a groundbreaking, totally awesome design into a rover contest?

Are we all agreed that the rover needs rockets to make it go faster?

[astropapi1]

Maybe us KSPers should band together and enter a groundbreaking, totally awesome design into a rover contest?

with SRBs and a lot of struts!

[Nao]

Yay Wroclaw! My hometown team!

Congratulations for the winners

The chances for the things to go to space are minimal but still its a great achievement! Just another step toward the red planet.