RACE2Mars team with their rover design. Photo: United Kingdom Atomic Energy AuthorityA team of engineering apprentices and graduates from the
UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has claimed first place in the prestigious Olympus Rover Trials. The event, organised by
UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (UKSEDS), were held recently at Airbus Defence and Space’s Mars Yard. The winning team, RACE2Mars, work in UKAEA’s Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE). The skills developed through UKAEA’s work for fusion energy — remote handling and control systems in extreme environments — are directly applicable to the challenges of space exploration.
RACE2Mars was tasked with designing, building, and then operating their rover within a simulated Mars exploration mission at the Mars Yard, a specially designed environment mimicking Martian terrain. The Olympus Rover Trials involved navigating the rover through rough terrain and scanning QR codes. RACE2Mars was one of only 12 teams across the UK to qualify for the final competition day, following a rigorous selection process that included a preliminary design review and critical design review by a panel of engineers.
Pictured right: RACE2Mars team’s rover design in The Mars YardRhiannon Jones, electrical engineering apprentice, UKAEA, added: “The project has been a great opportunity to learn and develop. It is rare to see all aspects of a project due to how long-term they can be. It is also been excellent to be part of a team of developing engineers — I have really enjoyed working on this.”
Dean Gooding, a graduate control systems and software engineer at UKAEA, said: “The Olympus Rover Trials has been a fantastic opportunity to lead an ambitious project and strengthen my leadership, organisational, and technical skills. As a team, we tackled challenging mechanical and electrical engineering constraints, refined our programming skills, learned to write effective design documents, and developed solid testing strategies — gaining a huge amount of experience along the way.”
Nick Sykes, director of RACE, UKAEA, said: “This achievement is a testament to the talent, creativity, and dedication of our early-career engineers. The RACE2Mars team not only demonstrated technical excellence but also embodied the spirit of collaboration and innovation that UKAEA is proud to foster. This win highlights the exciting crossover between fusion energy and the space sector.”
Oliver Lee, Olympic Rover Trials co-lead at UKSEDS, concluded: “The RACE2Mars from UKAEA should be very proud of what they have achieved. Their hard work and enthusiasm was reflected by their performance across the board, from their outstanding Mars Yard demonstration to their impressive outreach efforts. We very much look forward to seeing what’s next for the upcoming competition year.”