Dream Crusher

Mission system: Burrito

Challenge: Teams were required to design and deploy a small rover capable of planetary collection. The rover had to survive the launch, eject from the rocket after landing, navigate away from the launch vehicle across terrain, and successfully collect a simulated sample represented by ground materials on the launch field.

Design/Execution: Its chassis was constructed from high-density 3D-printed components, packaging a drivetrain, steering mechanism, and mechanical scoop inside the rocket’s body tube. To prevent the rover from flipping on uneven terrain, the battery packs and heavy electronics were mounted centrally to establish a low center of gravity. The onboard microcontroller was programmed with autonomous navigation and scoop actuation sequences to locate and collect a minimum of 10 mL of ice sample and drive a minimum of 10 linear feet from the collection site.

During a subscale test launch, the rocket drifted off its nominal trajectory and landed in an irrigation ditch, fully submerging the rover. The team recovered the payload, fully disassembled the chassis, and dried the electronics. Despite the water exposure, the rover was successfully reassembled. During subsequent testing, it successfully ejected from the airframe, navigated the terrain, and collected the simulated ice sample. BURRITO was confirmed to have been successfully retained during the full-scale demonstration flight.