On May 17, our team successfully launched a high-altitude balloon that reached an altitude of 33 km. Despite facing rain, wind, and heavy cloud cover, the mission went according to plan. The payload, which included a radiation detector, was safely recovered after landing. This marks another important milestone in our stratospheric research efforts!
From May 10–11, our Rocket Section conducted 6 more hotfire tests. Five were performed on the steel chamber to optimize engine performance, and one verified the flight chamber’s readiness. All tests went smoothly, confirming that our design is ready for flight. We're very satisfied with the results — the next step: launching Turbulence in two months!
We’re excited to share that GraviTE, developed by our Balloon and Rocket Experiment Section, was one of three winners at the Student Innovative Festival “IT is ME”! GraviTE is a groundbreaking project studying bone mass loss in microgravity and developing an affordable, autonomous bioreactor for cell cultivation. Our team impressed the judges with a unique solution that works identically on Earth and in space, highlighting true interdisciplinary innovation.
AGH Space Systems won the Australian Rover Challenge 2025 with 421.6 points! On the final day, we excelled in the Mapping & Autonomous Task, where Kalman navigated autonomously and our team presented findings. Starting in 8th place, we dominated key missions, achieving top scores. After months of hard work, this victory is a proud moment for our team and a testament to our dedication and skills!
Today, we tackled the Excavation & Construction Task. Our first challenge was building a paver, which tested our technical skills and earned the judges' approval. Next, we efficiently collected regolith using our lightweight composite box. Finally, Kalman’s jaws handled rocks up to 10 kg with ease. Scoring a perfect 100/100, we now prepare for tomorrow’s Mapping & Autonomous Task - the final competition day! Keep your fingers crossed!
Today, we faced the challenging Space Resources Task, where Kalman had to navigate difficult terrain and extract simulated lunar resources. Despite obstacles like frozen material at the first site and unsuccessful ilmenite readings at the second, we successfully delivered a sample to our stationary lab, which worked as expected. We scored 76/100 points for the task, and after a review, our previous day's score was adjusted to 90, still the highest, tying with the team from Rzeszów - now we prepare for the Excavation & Construction Task tomorrow.
The first day of the Australian Rover Challenge is complete! Our team tackled the Post-Landing Task, where Kalman performed system checks, located lunar infrastructure, initiated startup protocols, and handled maintenance. We navigated rough terrain, operated control panels, tested suspension, and repaired a damaged rover. Despite the challenges, we scored a perfect 100/100! Stay tuned for more updates.
In just a few days, the Australian Rover Challenge 2025 will begin! For the first time, our rover team, along with Kalman, will take part in this exceptional event, competing against teams from around the world. It’s a huge achievement and an opportunity to showcase the results of our hard work and innovative technological solutions.
From March 21–23, our Rocket Section ran hotfire tests of the Turbulence rocket at the Polish Rocket Society’s bench in Rzepiennik Biskupi. We tested a new valve actuation mechanism, which worked very well - allowing us to conduct four successful launches in one day. The longest burn lasted 8 seconds, setting a new record for Turbulence. This marks a major step before the rocket's planned flight in July. More tests are set for late April.
We would like to remind you about the ongoing recruitment. We are looking for people to join the marketing and logistics section, the balloon-rocket experiments section, and the rocket section. More information can be found in the link below and in the "Join Us" tab.