Adelaide Rover Team
The best is SET to come! Get ready for a remarkable cycle!
Who we are
A multidisciplinary team of passionate students from all backgrounds, dedicated to designing and building competitive Lunar rovers for the Australian Rover Challenge (ARCh) organised annually at the Roseworthy Campusof Adelaide University.
Ready with curiosity, collaboration, and the unwavering pursuit of excellence, we have grown into one of Australia’s top rover teams, and are seton inspiring the next generation of space pioneers.
We aren’t just imagining the future. We’re here to launch it.
We are the Adelaide Rover Team.
What we do
We compete in the Australian Rover Challenge alongside other rover challenges. Due to the paramount challenges we face as a Team to design and build functioning rovers, we provide hands-on experience for team members as they work on solving real problems in engineering. We are the only university organisation in South Australia that is capable of entering the Australian Rover Challenge and adhering to its standards.
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We design Lunar rovers that demonstrates a large range of capabilities required of systems currently exploring the Lunar surface.
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We build full-system design from chassis, suspension, power management, GUI, robotic operations, robotic manipulation, excavation, prospecting, water processing, and autonomy.
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Our primary goal is to compete in the annual Australian Rover Challenge organised by Adelaide University at Roseworthy Campus. We also plan on entering other competitions throughout Australia and the world should the opportunity arise.
Our Sponsors
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Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR)
HYPERSONIC TIER
The Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR) is an Adelaide University research and development hub focused on enabling long-term human presence in deep space by studying sustainable, off-world resource utilisation (ISRU). The multidisciplinary centre brings together expertise from fields such as engineering, AI, geology, psychology, and law to develop technologies for extracting, processing, and using extraterrestrial resources for construction, fuel, and life support. ATCSR also conducts research with applications on Earth, providing innovative solutions for sustainable practices in remote environments.
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![Black jewelry box with an lid that displays the logo of the Alluminum company in silver lettering.]()
Altium
HYPERSONIC TIER
Altium is a software company that creates electronic design automation (EDA) tools, with its flagship product being Altium Designer, a comprehensive software package for designing printed circuit boards (PCBs). Altium also offers Altium 365, a cloud-based platform that enhances collaboration by uniting PCB design, data management, and mechanical design (MCAD) workflows for engineers in various industries like automotive, aerospace, and consumer electronics.
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![Logos of the South Australian Government and the South Australian Space Industry Centre with a stylized outline of South Australia.]()
South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC)
SUPERSONIC TIER
The South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC) is the lead State Government agency driving space industry innovation, research and growth in South Australia. SASIC connects local industry and international organisations, fostering collaboration with the state’s burgeoning space sector. We’re not just growing the space economy – we’re inspiring the next generation of space leaders to pursue careers in space, addressing the challenges of space while realising on-Earth benefits for all. South Australia is the Space to Be.
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LEAP
SUPERSONIC TIER
LEAP Australia is a leading engineering applications provider and a long-standing supporter of engineering education and student design teams in Australia and New Zealand. Through access to ANSYS software, technical mentoring, and ongoing support, LEAP helps student teams develop practical skills in simulation, design, and multidisciplinary engineering workflows. LEAP’s engagement with competitions and student-led engineering projects reflects its commitment to fostering the next generation of engineering talent and bridging the gap between academic learning and industry-relevant experience.
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Ansys
SUPERSONIC TIER
Ansys is a globally recognised leader in engineering simulation software and plays a key role in empowering student teams with tools that support complex analysis and optimisation across multiple physics domains. Through Ansys, student teams gain access to software, learning resources, and support that enable them to tackle everything from fluid dynamics and structural analysis to electromagnetics and systems modelling. This partnership equips students with hands-on experience using professional-standard simulation tools that are widely adopted in industry, enhancing both project outcomes and graduates’ employability.
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![Blue logo with interconnected dots forming a network pattern above the word "Myriota" in bold blue letters.]()
Myriota
TRANSONIC TIER
Myriota was founded to revolutionise the Internet of Things (IoT) by offering disruptively low-cost and long-battery-life global connectivity. Based in Adelaide, a focal point of the Australian space industry and home of the Australian Space Agency, Myriota has a growing portfolio of over 100 granted patents, and support from major Australian and international investors. With deep heritage in telecommunications research, world-first transmission of IoT data direct to nanosatellite was achieved in 2013. Myriota has made this ground-breaking technology commercially available for partners worldwide.
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![Logo for Hard Core Diamond Products with a black background, yellow and black lettering.]()
Hardcore Diamond Products
SUBSONIC TIER
Hardcore Diamond Products is a proudly Australian-owned manufacturer of high-quality diamond tools, purpose-built for the mining exploration industry. Their extensive product lineup includes a wide variety of drill bits and specialised equipment, all engineered to meet the demanding conditions of exploration work. The company is committed to exceptional customer service, offering fast response times and tailored technical support to suit each client’s specific needs.
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Robinson Aerospace Systems
SUBSONIC TIER
Robinson Aerospace Systems’ mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM, while equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to do so.
Latest News
Save the dates
The Adelaide Rover Team is excited to share with you the exciting events both internal and external in which Team is set to participate. Please note that:
Our internal events are usually for members only. Please navigate to Recruitment or Membership for more information.
External events are the events organised by any organisations and/or bodies that are not the Adelaide Rover Team. You may need to purchase your ticket at your own expense if you wish to participate. For more information, please refer to the website attached to each event.
Contact us
Address
Room N104, Mission Control, Engineering North,
ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY, Adelaide, SA 5005.
Hours
By appointment via email.
Email
roverteam@adelaide.edu.au.
FAQs
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The Adelaide Rover Team was founded by students competing on behalf of the University of Adelaide (now known as Adelaide University), following the inaugural Australian Rover Challenge in 2021. Its founding represents an official commitment by the team to further the University's space research and development capabilites, and by extension contribute to the international effort to return to the Moon.
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The Team was co-founded by two students at the University, Henry Mellor and Lachlan Holden. Both students led the development of the University's first entry into the Australian Rover Challenge, with support from the University's Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR).
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The Team was founded on two key principles:
Design, build and compete in the Australian Rover Challenge, and beyond.
Provide relevant, practical engineering and project management experience for students at Adelaide University.
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Our team has won several awards at the Australian Rover Challenge, including 'best new team' and 'best team spirit'. In the overall standings each year, our team is continuously breaking it's own records, beating our overall score every year at the Australian Rover Challenge. The team also has a number of additional achievements related to ARCh, including:
The first team to utilise individually steerable wheels for enhanced mobility.
The largest robotic arm, excavation tool and resource processing unit.
The team also engages in several outreach events to promote the team and STEMM to people of all ages. We also compete in other competitions and are a key parnter in international lunar research.
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This year we're looking at incorporating a large variety of features of past cycles to better optimise for the Australian Rover Challenge 2026.
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We are planning to have a lot more community events, bring the rover team together and showcase the perks of members joining such a great community. This relationship building on to our collaboratives, like the Adelaide University Space Society (AUSS).
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We plan to build a fully-functional rover, capable of performing on all tasks in hopes of securing a spot in top 3-5 in the Australian Rover Challenge in the coming 3 years, engage more members in the Australian Rover Challenge, and organise more social events for the Team.
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With the Artemis program focused on establishing a sustained lunar presence, the Moon is currently a priority destination for exploration. The Earth-to-Moon mission profile takes advantage of comparatively short travel times to serve as a logistical support outpost for future missions to Mars.
The Moon provides critical resources required for future deep-space exploration such as water to use for survival and rocket fuel. Developing a permanent lunar outpost underpins both NASA’s and the Australian Space Agency’s strategic focus on literally fuelling longer-term missions. As our primary supporting research institution, the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR) at Adelaide University is invested in the development lunar technologies, aligning Australia’s local research with international priorities.
The Moon presents unique challenges. With its lack of atmosphere, abrasive regolith, and long day-night cycles, the lunar environment presents opportunities to develop and advance burgeoning rover technologies.