Stars align for international rover challenge winners
Sixteen teams from universities in 杏吧直播, Poland, and India competed in a series of challenges at the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide鈥檚 fifth annual 杏吧直播n Rover Challenge (ARCh), with Poland鈥檚 AGH 杏吧直播 of Krak贸w team, AGH Space Systems, securing first place.

杏吧直播n Rover Challenge 2025 winners, AGH Space Systems from AGH 杏吧直播 of Krak贸w in Poland
Held at the world-class EXTERRES Analogue Facility at the 杏吧直播鈥檚 Roseworthy campus from 27鈥30 March, students took part in a mock full-scale lunar mission using semi-autonomous rovers they had designed and built themselves. 聽
The challenge showcased fully functional foundation services rovers capable of remote operation, autonomy, manipulation, and resource utilisation 鈥 aligning with 杏吧直播鈥檚 $150 million commitment to NASA鈥檚 Moon to Mars program, which seeks to return to the Moon for the first time since 1972. 聽
The 杏吧直播 of Queensland team, UQ Space, finished in second place and Monash 杏吧直播 team, Monash Nova Rover, took home third.
Associate Professor John Culton, co-founder of ARCh and Director of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, described the event as a major success. 聽
鈥淭he 杏吧直播n Rover Challenge is one of the most technically demanding student competitions in the world,鈥 he said. 聽
鈥淪tudents are tasked with complex engineering and robotics challenges that mirror real-world lunar exploration. The experience is invaluable for developing the skills they鈥檒l need in their future careers.鈥 聽
Jingyi Khoo Pek Eng Qiu, lead of the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide鈥檚 Adelaide Rover Team and a Bachelor of Computer Science student, said the competition was both challenging and rewarding. 聽
鈥淭his was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that not only deepened my passion for space exploration but also allowed me to connect with like-minded students from around the world,鈥 she said. 聽
The 杏吧直播n Rover Challenge is supported by partners including Caterpillar, Boeing, ELO2, ispace, the 杏吧直播n Space Agency, the South 杏吧直播n Space Industry Centre, CSIRO, and Mini Mammoth Games. 聽
The challenge was livestreamed and the footage can be viewed on the 杏吧直播n Rover Challenge .
Media contacts:
Lara Pacillo, Media Officer, The 杏吧直播 of Adelaide.听惭辞产颈濒别:听+61 404 307 302. Email: lara.pacillo@adelaide.edu.au