University Rover Challenge 2010 – Requirements and Guidelines

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Any issues not covered by these published rule sets will be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the University Rover Challenge (URC) Director. Please consult the Questions and Answers (Q&A) portion of the URC web site (http://www.marssociety.org/portal/c/urc) for updates. All matters addressed in the Q&A are applicable to the requirements and guidelines.

1. Competition Overview

1.a. The 2009 University Rover Challenge will be held May 28-30, 2009 at the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) near Hanksville, Utah.

1.a. The 2010 University Rover Challenge will be held June 3-5, 2010 at the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) near Hanksville, Utah.

1.b. The rover shall be a stand-alone, off-the-grid, mobile platform. No tethers will be allowed during its operation for connection to external sources.

1.b.i. A single connected platform must leave the designated start gate and return to this location (except when otherwise indicated). In the open field, the primary platform may deploy any number of smaller sub-platforms, so long as the combined master/slave sub-platforms meet all additional requirements published.

1.b.ii. Any airborne vehicles must meet any and all FAA (United States Federal Aviation Authority) guidelines that apply to operating unmanned aircraft in a remote area. It will be the responsibility of each team to research any such FAA requirements and provide documentation to the judges prior to April 30, 2010.

1.c. Teams will operate their rovers from designated command and control stations. These stations will be tents with tarp walls restricting visibility of the course (to be provided). Basic power (120V, 60Hz), tables, and chairs will be provided. Metal trailer units (such as the back of a small moving truck) may be provided in place of tents.

1.d. There is no restriction on the number of operators allowed, as long as all operators remain in the designated operators’ area. Nobody may follow alongside the rover and radio back any information. Members of the judging team may follow a rover at their discretion.

1.e. The GPS standard at MDRS is the NAD 27 datum. Teams shall adhere to this standard. Coordinates will be provided in the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system, consistent with MDRS protocol.

1.f. The MDRS field site is located in the desert of southern Utah. As such, the site will have a full spectrum of sloped terrain from flat to vertical. Teams should be prepared for any ground conditions that would appear at MDRS (please consult the MDRS web site – http://www.marssociety.org/mdrs – for field reports, images, and other resources). Except for when noted in this document, the objective sites shall be reachable by paths of no greater than a 15% slope. The rover shall also be capable of withstanding such an environment in the early summer, including airborne dust and temperatures that can easily reach 100°F. Although it is improbable, rovers shall be able to withstand extremely light rain. Rovers will not be expected to compete in heavy rain or thunderstorms.

2. Rover Guidelines

2.a. Rovers shall utilize power and propulsion systems that are applicable to operations on Mars. Air-breathing systems (such as internal combustion engines and certain fuel cells) are permissible, but only under the following criteria:

2.a.i. The team shall design an air supply system that would be compatible with the subject air-breathing system, and would operate at a reduced air pressure. The design must provide sufficient air that the capacity of the fuel tank is the primary energy limitation.

2.a.ii. The team shall provide a full list of off-the-shelf components that would satisfy the design. This system design and specification must include an estimate of cost and weight.

2.a.iii. This design and specification shall be submitted to the URC Director and Judges for final approval no later than April 30, 2010. The cost and weight estimates may be revised by the URC Judges, with the approval of the URC Director, in which case the revised numbers will be communicated to the teams by May 7, 2010. Teams may appeal these revisions no later than May 14, 2010.

2.a.iv. A final cost and weight of the air supply system shall be assessed against the rover’s budget and weight allocations as defined in these rules.

2.a.v. Due to safety considerations, teams shall not implement any such systems.

2.b. The maximum allowable mass of the rover when deployed for any competition event is 50 kg. This mass does not include any other hardware used to prepare or maintain the rover, any spare power sources not being used, or any additional rover configuration components not on-board for the particular competition event.

2.b.i. For each event in which the rover is overweight, the team shall be assessed a penalty of 10 points, plus 1 additional point per kilogram over 50.

2.b.ii. Rovers over 75 kg in any given configuration must be cleared with the URC Director by email prior to April 30, 2010 to be eligible to compete.

2.b.iii. The combined mass of spare power sources and additional rover configuration components shall not exceed 20 kg.

2.b.iv. There will be no weight limit imposed on command and control team equipment, base communications equipment or maintenance tools.

2.b.v. If a gas-consuming engine is used, the rover shall weigh-in with all tanks full.

2.c. Wireless communication methods used by teams shall adhere to all applicable FCC (United States Federal Communications Commission) standards and regulations. Teams must submit details regarding any wireless communication devices being implemented and operator licenses (when applicable) to the URC Director no later than April 30, 2010. Teams must notify the URC Director immediately of any changes after this date. Teams may be required to power down communications equipment at the event sites while not competing, so as not to interfere with other teams.

2.d. Communications equipment must not rely on the team’s ability to watch and track the rover first hand. Equipment may be directionally steered if kept inside the command and control tent. Any communications equipment outside of the tent shall be stationary.

2.d.i. Teams may have a member visually track the rover and rotate/steer communications equipment placed outside of the tent. This person may not communicate with the rest of the team inside the tent, and will result in a penalty of 10 points per event utilized.

2.d.ii. The stationary requirement does not impose mechanical rigidity, just a rigid, stable base. An automated azimuth-finding antenna is permissible, as long as it is safe and stable. Electrically steered antennas are also permissible, as long as they are operated within FCC regulations (as applicable).

2.d.iii. Antenna bases must be located within 5 meters of the team’s command and control tent, and shall adhere to all applicable regulations. Any such antenna must be documented as part of the communications documentation deadline. Any ropes or wires used for stability purposes only may be anchored within 10 meters of the command and control tent.

2.d.iv. Tethered lighter-than-air devices cannot be used for direct observation or reconnaissance, however can be implemented for communications. Such devices must be safely anchored within 5 meters of the command and control tent, and may not drift more than 10 meters from the overhead space of the command and control tent. All safety precautions, and applicable FCC and FAA regulations, must be documented as part of the communications documentation deadline.

2.e. Teams will be guaranteed a 1.5 km minimum separation between competition areas, which will include large terrain barriers. Event scheduling will avoid communication interference to the greatest extent possible. Teams will be notified of all frequencies being used by other teams, and will be required to deconflict when a conflict occurs (the URC Director will mediate as necessary). Because of this, teams are encouraged to work with equipment that maximizes channel flexibility.

2.f. The rover is not required to be autonomous. However, it shall be operated remotely by a team which will not be able to view the rover on the site or the site itself directly. The rover may be commanded by the team using a wireless link, with information needed for guiding the rover acquired by the rover's own on-board systems and transmitted to the team wirelessly. There shall be no time delay in communications, as the URC is based on the assumption that the rovers in question are telerobots, being operated by astronauts on or orbiting Mars. Refer to rule 3.g regarding the impacts of a loss of communications.

3. Competition Tasks

3.a. The rover shall be judged in the four competition tasks outlined below in 3.b-e. The four tasks will be independent events. The rover is not required to be in the same configuration for different events. Teams will have at least 2 ½ hours to reconfigure, adjust and repair their rovers in between events, and will not have to compete in more than 2 events in a single day. Each event shall be worth 100 points, for a total of 400 points. The minimum points awarded for a single event is zero (even if the penalties are greater than the points earned). For all tasks except the Emergency Navigation Task, rovers are required to return to the start gate within the time allotted.

3.b. Site Survey Task:
Teams shall be required to perform a remote survey to determine the precise coordinates (to include altitude) of field markers that are not reachable by the rover. Teams will be provided with a map of the local region, which will include the precise coordinates of major visible landmarks. Rovers shall have to drive up to 0.8 km to reach an observation position (approximate coordinates to be provided) from which it will have a line of site view of the targets. Target markers will consist of white PVC pipes no less than 10cm in diameter, standing vertically from the ground to a height of 1-2 meters. A white flag measuring at least 15cm (vertically) x 30cm (horizontally) will be attached to the top of the marker. Teams will be required to survey markers located up to 1.0 km from the given observation position. Teams will not be told the number, or general location, of any markers. Teams will have 30-50 minutes of on-course time, followed by 10-15 minutes to perform calculations (exact amounts of time to be announced on-site). Scores will be based on the number of targets identified and the accuracy for each of those localizations.

3.c. Sample Return Task:
Teams will be given a field briefing by judges to discuss the task site. Teams controlling their rovers shall then select multiple (3-6) sites of potential biological interest within a 0.8 km radius of the start gate. Based upon investigation of the selected sites, teams shall then collect and return a single sample from the site they determine to have the greatest likelihood of containing photosynthetic bacteria such as cyanobacteria/blue-green algae, other bacterial colonies such as are associated with desert varnish, as well as other nonbacterial extremophiles such as lichen. The mass of this sample must be at least 25 grams, but no greater than 250 grams, and may consist of a single rock, or a soil sample. The primary indicator of the extremophiles of interest is reflected light in the visible spectra. Teams may supplement this with secondary observations in the infrared spectra, or minimally-invasive direct measurements at their discretion (teams must be prepared to describe and defend all forms of analysis implemented). Rover shall return the collected sample to the team's command and control tent by the end of the time allotted.

Teams shall document each site investigated according to the Remote Science Documentation Procedure described below. Teams will be given 30-60 minutes to collect data and the sample with the rover (exact amount of time to be announced on-site), after which they will be given a similar amount of time (not necessarily equal to the on-course time) to prepare data for a field briefing to the judges (which will last 15 minutes, to include questions from the judges). In the field briefing to judges, teams will be required to describe and analyze their data for all sites investigated, and provide a justification for returning the sample that was selected. The score for this task will be based on the following, equally weighted, components: 1) thoroughness of the investigation of sites; 2) quality and applicability of the analysis of the field science; 3) quality of the sample returned; and 4) quality and applicability of the analysis of the sample returned.

Remote Science Documentation Procedure:
For the Sample Return Task, teams shall follow these guidelines at each site. At a given site, the team shall take a close up, high-resolution picture with some indication of scale (scale can be indicated post-capture). The team shall then produce a wide-angle panorama showing the full context of the site and immediate surrounding area. The panorama must indicate cardinal directions, and have some indication of scale. Teams must also record the detailed GPS coordinates of each site, to include elevation and accuracy range. Thorough documentation is especially crucial for the sample that is returned.

3.d. Emergency Navigation Task:
Teams shall be required to deliver an emergency supply container to a simulated distressed astronaut (within 1 meter of the astronaut, as designated by the presence of a space suit) as quickly as possible. The supply container (to be provided on-site) shall be no larger than 30cm x 30cm x 15cm, weigh no more than 6kg, be orientation independent, and will be covered in the loop portion (i.e. – the soft side) of a VELCRO style fastener (which teams must utilize to secure the box to the rover). The emergency supply container must be delivered, however it does not need to be deployed. A maximum time limit between 30 and 60 minutes, and multiple last known GPS coordinates for the astronaut, will be provided to teams; however teams should expect the astronaut to have strayed from the last known point. The astronaut will be located within a 1.5 km radius of the start gate. Line of sight communication with the start gate will only be guaranteed for 25% of the course. While it will be possible to reach the astronaut by traversing moderate terrain (less than 15% slope), the ability to traverse aggressive terrain will improve the likelihood of success. Scores will be based on speed of delivery, with teams receiving an automatic 50 points for finding the astronaut before time expires (up to the maximum of 100 points based on time). In the event that teams are unable to locate the astronaut, points will be awarded for having reached (within a 3 meter radius to accommodate GPS error) each of the last known coordinates (up to a maximum of 40 points). Extreme shock to the container should be avoided. For this task the rover is not required to return to the start gate.

3.e. Equipment Servicing Task:
Rovers shall be required to perform several dexterous operations on a mock-up equipment panel. The rover shall have to travel up to 0.5km across relatively flat terrain (negligible slope) to reach the panel. Teams and their rover shall then have to read directions, printed on the panel, describing the sequence of tasks to be performed. Tasks shall include pushing buttons, flipping switches, and connecting male 3-prong plugs (U.S. style) into electrical outlets (the plugs will be hanging from their respective wires with sufficient slack next to the plug). The panel will be vertical, and all items of interest (including text) shall be located between heights of 15cm and 75cm above the ground. From the most forward point of a particular section of panel, the depth to any item of interest shall not exceed 45cm. All text on the board shall be printed in the equivalent of Times New Roman 18 point font in black ink against a white background. Teams will receive points for every sub-task completed successfully, however will be partially penalized for subtasks completed out of order.

3.f. From the time teams are given access to their command and control tent, they shall be able to set up all necessary systems, including all communications systems, and be ready to compete in no more than 25 minutes. Teams shall be able to fully disassemble all equipment in no more than 15 minutes at the end of the event.

3.g. If a rover suffers a critical problem during a task that requires direct team intervention (including a loss of communication that requires the team to move the rover to reestablish communications), that intervention shall be subject to the following:

3.g.i. The team may designate any number of members (herein referred to as “runners”) who may retrieve the rover, and return it to the blind side of the command and control station (such that the other members may work on the rover without being able to view the task site).

3.g.ii. Runners shall not communicate any details about the task site to the rest of the team (judges will monitor conversation), however are permitted to take part in the diagnostic process.

3.g.iii. After completing work on the rover, the runners may relocate the rover to any position within the start gate area.

3.g.iv. The runners shall not be permitted to participate in the command and control of the rover, or analysis of any data, after this point for the current event. Runners will still be permitted to retrieve the rover in future interventions, although only at the direction of the eligible command and control team.

3.g.v. Teams will be penalized 10 points for every intervention. The task clock will continue to run during interventions.

4. Team Management

4.a. Teams shall be required to track all finances as related to this project, and submit a final expense record no later than May 28, 2010 (if necessary, teams may submit an updated record – hard or soft copy – on the first day of the URC event – June 3, 2010). Teams shall be penalized 25 points per day if they are late in submitting the expense report, and will be disqualified for not submitting their expense report by the end of the URC event.

4.a.i. The maximum allowable cash budget to be spent on the project is $15,000 US, which shall include money spent on parts and components for the rover, rover modules, rover power sources, rover communications equipment, and base station communications equipment (only that equipment used to communicate with the rover). The budget limit shall not apply to command and control equipment not included above (i.e. base station computers and monitors), tools, volunteer labor time, or travel expenses.

4.a.ii. Teams may acquire in-kind donations of equipment. Such donations will count towards the cash budget at its documented value. Corporate sponsorship is encouraged.

4.a.iii. Teams may be required to submit receipts as proof of budget upon request (donations must be documented by the donor).

4.a.iv. Any parts and/or components purchased in previous years and/or leveraged from previous rovers or projects for the URC 2010 rover shall be valued at current prices (teams must be prepared to document valuations). In the case of discontinued or outdated components, the price of a reasonable substitute must be documented.

4.a.v. International teams have an allowable budget equivalent to $15,000 US based on the most advantageous documented currency conversion rate between August 1, 2009 and June 3, 2010.

4.b. There shall be one division of competition open to both graduate and undergraduate students. Teams shall be permitted to include secondary school (high school) students. A single university may field multiple rovers and multiple teams, however there may be no overlap between team members and leaders, budget, donated equipment, or purchased equipment.

4.c. Teams are encouraged to work with advisors. However, advisors are expected to limit their involvement to academic level advising only. It is incumbent upon the student team leaders to ensure that their respective teams uphold the integrity of this competition. Nontechnical team management duties, including tracking finances, fall within the duties of the students.