Icarus
With improvements all around, including increased visibility from added cameras, the move to brushless motors on the robotic arm, and our first on board chemical administration system, Icarus was looking to take us back to the top of the podium. Though competition cancellation was disheartening, the team took the extra time to research new directions for future rovers as well as gave work with our school design center and fellow design teams to 3D print masks for our local hospital in preparation for the pandemic.
URC Results
SAR: 93
Competition Cancelled
Special Features
URC unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
First year to have a chemical administration system onboard the rover
First year to use brushless motors on the robotic arm
Suspension cameras introduced
Valkyrie
Valkyrie was another rover iterating on the Mantis Platform, this time with much work put into the science mechanical system in order for it to be able to do sample retrieval and analysis on board and in the field. With an emphasis on testing as much as possible prior to competition, our team was confident in Valkyrie's ability to be another podium finisher, unfortunately the suspension gave out at competition and landed us at a respectable 5th place.
URC Results
SAR: 92.25
Science Mission: 91
Extreme Retrieval and Delivery Mission: 48
Equipment Servicing Mission: 47
Autonomous Traversal Mission: 30
Penalties: 0
Total: 308.25
Final Placement: 5th
Special Features
First year doing a Carbon Aluminum Divinycell composite bicep
Introduction of a science system that retrieves samples and does analysis in the field
First year using three sets of differential gears for the robotic arm
Atlas
The year after our URC victory, our team eager to turn our one championship trophy into a collection. With the success of our Mantis Platform, Atlas was another iterative design with significant innovations such as the use of Inverse Kinematics to control the robotic arm. Atlas was able to get back on the podium, though this time at a close second.
URC Results
SAR: 90.7
Science Cache Task: 91.3
Extreme Retrieval and Delivery Task: 90
Equipment Servicing Task: 57
Autonomous Traversal Task: 10
Penalties: 0
Total: 339
Final Placement: 2nd Place
Special Features
Second place at URC
Introduced working Inverse Kinematics
A detachable electronics frame
An auxiliary mounting system
Gryphon
One of our proudest achievements, Gryphon is the World Champion rover from URC 2017. The Mantis Platform, a mechanical response to the new electrical and tele-communications systems of the previous year, was a complete redesign from the Phoenix platform of years past. This innovative suspension and robust autonomous function as well as other improvements meant that Gryphon was able to dominate URC with a commanding first place of a nearly 70 point separation from the second place finishers.
URC Results
CDR: 81.4
Science Cache Task: 70
Extreme Retrieval and Delivery Task: 100
Equipment Servicing Task: 52
Autonomous Traversal Task: 100
Penalties: 0
Total: 403.4
Final Placement: 1st Place
Special Features
World Champions with a first place finish at URC
Introduction of the Mantis platform
Introduced support for flight stick control from basestation
First year to use custom motor controllers
Introduction of autonomous functions
Zenith
Zenith saw the electrical and tele-communications side of the rover completely redesigned, and with it came the RoveComm communications protocol. Along with that redesign, Zenith was the first of our rovers with a fully composite frame, with a design that iterated on the Phoenix platform, like Horizon had before it. At competition, Zenith landed an exciting first place finish in the Phobos Division.
URC Results
Total: 255
Final Placement: 1st Place, Phobos Division
Special Features
1st place finish in the Phobos Division
Rovecomm communication protocol introduced with a new telemetry and controls design
First year using a Grandstream box to use analog cameras over the IP network instead of analog radio
First all composite frame
Horizon
Exploring new horizons this year, our team was able to travel internationally for the first time to compete at the European Rover Challenge as well as play on the home field at URC. With a rewrite of RED and iterating on the previous years design, Horizon secured a 10th place finish at ERC and a 5th place finish at URC.
URC Results
Sample Return Task: 100
Astronaut Assistance Task: 23
Equipment Servicing Task: 75
Terrain Traversing Task: 40
Presentation Task: 84.2
Penalties: 0
Total: 322.2
Final Placement: 5th Place
Special Features
Traveled internationally to compete in Kielce, Poland for the 2015 European Rover Challenge
The last rewrite of RED, all consecutive years built upon this version
First use of carbon fiber for the wheels
First year using cylindrical li-pos for the rover battery
Phoenix
Our second run at URC was a huge leap from the last year. Phoenix was able to secure a close second place finish at competition thanks to our members' innovation across the board, from a wholly redesigned frame to the introduction of the Rover Engagement Display software for basestation.
URC Results
Sample Return Task: 95
Astronaut Assistance Task: 20
Equipment Servicing Task: 63
Terrain Traversing Task: 70
Presentation Task: 94
Penalties: 0
Total: 342
Final Placement: 2nd Place
Special Features
Introduction of the Rover Engagement Display (RED) as the base station software
First rover capable of charging without removing the battery
Had six horsepower making it our first rover with more than one horsepower
Akers
Our first foray into URC was as exciting as it was disappointing. Akers was a shaky first step into a promising direction and after a lackluster performance at URC with a 10th out of 15 place finish, the team made it a goal to do exponentially better in the coming years.
URC Results
Sample Return Task: 53
Astronaut Assistance Task: 5
Equipment Servicing Task: 0
Terrain Traversing Task: 0
Presentation Task: 85.5
Total: 143.5
Final Placement: 10th Place
Special Features
Quickest design team formed in Missouri S&T history
Raised more than $20,000 dollars in the first year
Began the yearly tradition of Space Week
The phrase "Rove So Hard" was coined