University of Glasgow team wins top award at national space competition with robot capable of exploring Mars
A team of students from the University of Glasgow won a national competition with their design for a robot capable of exploring the surface of Mars.
Banana Island team members Shuo Feng, Eric Dawe, Phoenix Nelson, and Zlatan Čeljo
Made up members of the university’s GU Orbit satellite society and called Banana Island, the team won the first prize at the 2024-25 Olympus Rover Trial, beating groups from 14 universities across the UK.
The team received additional awards including Best Critical Design Review and Best Innovation.
Organised by UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, the competition was held at RAL Space in Didcot, Oxfordshire and aims to simulate the design and deployment challenges of planetary exploration missions.
The team was tasked with designing, building, and operating a research rover capable of exploring remote terrain. Robots were subjected to vibration tests, assessing each rover’s ability to withstand the stress of launch conditions.
Banana Island’s winning rover included robotic arms for improved camera positioning and met all mission objectives.
Ana Cornejo, vice-president of GU Orbit, comments: “We’re pleased and proud to have taken the overall prize at the competition, as well as two further prizes for our performance in the design and innovation categories. The membership of the team included students from mechanical, electronic, aerospace and software engineering backgrounds, and everyone had an important role to play in our success.”
Dr Matteo Ceriotti of the James Watt School of Engineering, and GU Orbit’s academic mentor, adds: “Congratulations to all members of the Banana Island team for their outstanding work in the Olympus Rover Trials, and for representing the University of Glasgow with excellence. The judges noted the team’s applied skills, thoughtful design and effective collaboration, and it’s great to see them earn national recognition at this level.”
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