SWOSU Rover Dawgs to Compete in 2023 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge

March 22, 2023

SWOSU Press Release

Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s (SWOSU) Rover Dawgs were selected to participate in NASA’s 2023 Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC), held on April 20-22 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

This past fall, SWOSU Engineering Technology students were presented with an opportunity to apply for a position on the SWOSU Rover Dawg team. The SWOSU Rover Dawg team is comprised of twelve students from the Engineering Technology program, selected by faculty based on their exceptional communication skills, attention to detail, and previous experience with fabrication and computer-aided design.

The new team’s first task was to submit a team proposal for the opportunity to compete in the 2023 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. In October, the team’s proposal for the HERC was ranked among the top 15 selected internationally, earning them a place in the competition among 60 other teams.

“The most rewarding part of this experience has been working with my teammates. We are a well-rounded group of leaders and hands-on problem solvers,” said Lane Dobrovolny, SWOSU HERC team lead.

HERC will be a live, on-site competition for the first time since 2019, with 61 teams from 45 colleges and universities and 16 high schools representing 30 countries worldwide. The competition will be broadcast live on NASA TV and will feature a new course location, ten obstacles, and five liquid sample retrieval tasks. Two pilots from the Rover Dawgs will be challenged to complete the course within eight minutes, with points awarded for successfully completing design reviews, developing a rover that meets all criteria, and completing course obstacles and mission tasks.

Throughout the challenge, the team will design, build, and test a human-powered rover capable of traversing a challenging half-mile obstacle course that simulates the terrain of the moon, Mars, or other rocky bodies in our solar system. They must also design and demonstrate a unique tool capable of completing various mission tasks.

“Team members apply the skills they have developed in SWOSU Engineering Technology courses as they compete in the NASA HERC challenge. It is exciting to observe the team, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives,” said SWOSU HERC team advisor Nathan Brooks.

The competition also focuses on preparation and community engagement. In addition to securing points on the obstacle course, points are also awarded based on design reports, design presentations, and STEM engagement before the team travels to Alabama. The SWOSU Rover Dawgs have already supported two local events and hosted one state-wide event to support STEM engagement for middle and high-school students. They are also supporting additional events at Caddo Kiowa STEM Day in March. Winning teams are those that accumulate the highest number of points throughout the project year in each category.

Students designing the rover must carefully strategize, selecting the right combination of tasks and obstacles to maximize their score. This encourages teams to create a rover that strikes the right balance between efficiency and speed. The challenge’s weight and time restrictions also promote the rover’s compactness, lightness, and efficiency. To meet the challenge’s rover criteria, the rover must fit within a 5’x5′ cube, and teams can only purchase the wheel hub; chains are not allowed, and using them will make teams ineligible for awards. This year, the SWOSU Rover Dawgs have designed a drive train that uses belts to transmit power to the rover.

“Every individual on this team made the decision to compete in one of the most complex and intense competitions offered in Higher Education. Under the leadership of Nathan Brooks and with a great group of hard-working young students, I have no doubt this team will do great,” said Brett Chase, Chair of Engineering Technology.

To learn more about the SWOSU Rover Dawgs or to follow along with their projects, follow their Instagram and Facebook pages.