The Missouri S&T Mars Rover Design Team will reveal this year’s student-built rover at a ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at the Student Design and Experiential Learning Center (SDELC), housed in the Kummer Student Design Center at 1051 N. Bishop in Rolla.

After the unveiling, the Missouri S&T team will host a meet-and-greet with team members and showcase various parts and aspects of the rover. The event is free and open to the public.

The team has applied to compete at the 2022 University Rover Challenge. Missouri S&T won the 2017 competition, becoming the first U.S. team to earn first in the past seven years, and earned second place in 2018.

The competition requires students to design and build the potential next generation of Mars rovers capable of working on the red planet and supporting future astronaut missions. Missouri S&T’s team began work on its rover in the fall and is now testing and refining it in preparation for the competition. During the competition, teams will maneuver their rovers across rough terrain and complete a series of tasks.

The Mars Rover Design Team is a student-run team in Missouri S&T’s SDELC, which provides real-world team-based operations, including computer design laboratories, a manufacturing shop, office space and logistical support for over 20 design teams. Design teams mirror small start-up companies that plan large-scale projects, organize into departments, raise funds, communicate their ideas, and solve open-ended design challenges. Most teams compete annually against other collegiate teams from around the country and the world. For more information about the teams, visit design.mst.edu.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,200 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return on investment, according to Business Insider. S&T also is home to the Kummer Institute, made possible by a $300 million gift from Fred and June Kummer. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.