The rover
The Challenge
Functionality
Engineering on the rover has been split up into three technical domains: electrical,
mechanical, and computationa domain. Within the domains, several students are aiming to
design, prototype, and develop every aspect within their domain to insure a
vehicle that can overcome the extreme conditions of Antarctica.
Electrical domain
The electrical domain focuses on the power supply, power
storage, and powertrain of the vehicle. These aspects are closely linked with
the sustainable vision of the rover. The biggest challenges of the electrical
domain are the cold temperatures and the limited available solar energy on the
Antarctic continent.
Mechanical domain
The mechanical domain focuses on the chassis, the suspension, the tires, etc. This domain ensures that the rover can withstand conquer the extreme terrain posed by the Antarctic environment. The biggest challenge of the mechanical domain is the limited amount of knowledge available on vehicles in these conditions.
Computational Domain
The computational domain focuses on the sensors which will
enable the rover to operate autonomously. Besides this, the focus is also on establishing a connection with satellites to enable data transfer. The biggest
challenge for the computational domain is the limited satellite connection
and the detection of crevasses.