Welcome to MARS — Macquarie Aerospace Rover Society

Macquarie Aerospace Rover Society (MARS) is a student-led team building a semi-autonomous lunar rover for the Australian Rover Challenge (ARCh) 2026. Whether you're into mechanical engineering, software, electronics, science, or operations — there's a place for you here.

We give Macquarie students hands-on experience in space robotics, interdisciplinary teamwork, and cutting-edge design — all while preparing for one of Australia's most exciting student space competitions.

What We Do

We design, build, and test our rover from the ground up across four main areas:

• Mechanical: chassis, drive systems, and suspension
• Electrical: PCBs, wiring, sensors, and power distribution
• Software: autonomy, controls, and simulations
• Science: regolith collection and onboard analysis

Not an engineer? No problem — we also run operations teams focused on:

• Media & Marketing – Content creation, branding, outreach
• Business & Sponsorship – Grants, industry partners, pitching
• Website – UX/UI, site maintenance, and updates
• Management – Planning, logistics, and team coordination

Current Projects (2025–2026)

• Project Wally – Core rover platform (mobility & base systems)
• Robotic Arm – High-precision manipulator for tasks (in collab with MURC)
• EEV – Science payload for environment analysis

Each project is supported by dedicated Structures, Software, Electrical, and Science subteams.

Learning & Building Together

We run regular meetings and technical workshops, including:

• PCB Design (with MUDS)
• Git & GitHub (with MACS)
• CAD & Prototyping (with Speed Team)

Whether you're here to build a rover, learn new skills, or make space history — MARS is your launchpad.