Category:Extreme Environments - Revision history

Cgreen28: Fixed Europa Title

2026-04-12T09:01:31Z

Fixed Europa Title

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	'''Impact:''' Semi-autonomous rovers simplify logistics for field research, and permit long-term research projects like surface feature mapping and near-ground meteorology!		'''Impact:''' Semi-autonomous rovers simplify logistics for field research, and permit long-term research projects like surface feature mapping and near-ground meteorology!

	'''~~MARS~~ EUROPA'''		'''EUROPA'''
	[[File:Europa Benthic Lander.png\|thumb\|449x449px\|Europa's H-Fame benthic lander launched at Torpedo Wharf]]		[[File:Europa Benthic Lander.png\|thumb\|449x449px\|Europa's H-Fame benthic lander launched at Torpedo Wharf]]
	Benthic landers are observation platforms that sink to the bottom of a body of water prior to resurfacing. While less flexible than submersibles or ROVs, their simplicity allows for dramatically reduced costs.		Benthic landers are observation platforms that sink to the bottom of a body of water prior to resurfacing. While less flexible than submersibles or ROVs, their simplicity allows for dramatically reduced costs.

Cgreen28: Fixed formatting

2026-04-12T09:00:41Z

Fixed formatting

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	A second prototype, undergoing testing in Monterey Bay, includes a satellite GPS transmitter (allowing for recovery beyond the horizon), an external pressure sensor, and a sediment scoop. The frame is self-righting, ensuring the transmitter stays above the waterline after resurfacing. Replacing our compressible foam floats should enable a descent to 1,000 m and beyond.		A second prototype, undergoing testing in Monterey Bay, includes a satellite GPS transmitter (allowing for recovery beyond the horizon), an external pressure sensor, and a sediment scoop. The frame is self-righting, ensuring the transmitter stays above the waterline after resurfacing. Replacing our compressible foam floats should enable a descent to 1,000 m and beyond.

	[[File:Irec Payload 26.png\|left\|thumb\|~~452x452px~~\|Diagram of Microgravity Payload and its place in the NewCollins rocket.]]		[[File:Irec Payload 26.png\|left\|thumb\|465x465px\|Diagram of Microgravity Payload and its place in the NewCollins rocket.]]
	'''MICRO-GRAVITY CRYSTALIZATION'''		'''MICRO-GRAVITY CRYSTALIZATION'''

Cgreen28: Updated Project Descriptions

2026-04-12T09:00:03Z

Updated Project Descriptions

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	The current faculty advisor for the Extreme Environments team is [https://cee.stanford.edu/people/michael-lepech Dr. Michael Lepech].		The current faculty advisor for the Extreme Environments team is [https://cee.stanford.edu/people/michael-lepech Dr. Michael Lepech].
	==Teams==		==Teams==
	[[File:~~Polar Rover Prototype at First Testing Retreat~~.~~png~~\|left\|thumb\|~~This early prototype rover~~'s ~~GPS~~ capabilities ~~were tested at the March 2023 team retreat~~ in ~~Portola Valley~~. ~~\|alt=\|243x243px~~]]		[[File:Image from iOS (1) Large.jpg\|left\|thumb\|446x446px\|Rover team's trip to Tahoe. Testing drivetrain, solar, and control capabilities in Snowy conditions. ]]
			'''POLAR ROVER'''

	'~~''MARS POLAR ROVER'''~~		The Polar subteam is constructing an GPS-based autonomously-navigated rover to replicate driving conditions at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_polar_ice_caps Martian polar ice caps] in order to guide future NASA exploration of Mars. The long term goal is to test the rover on an expedition across Antarctica to reach the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole Earth's South Pole]. Specifically, the rover will follow the charted [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole_Traverse South Pole Overland Traverse] from coastal [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMurdo_Station McMurdo Research Station] to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station].

	~~The Mars Polar subteam is constructing an GPS-based autonomously-navigated rover to replicate driving conditions at~~ the ~~[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_polar_ice_caps Martian polar ice caps] in order to guide future NASA exploration of Mars~~. ~~The~~ long term ~~goal is to test the rover on an expedition across Antarctica to reach the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole Earth's South Pole]. Specifically~~, the rover will follow the charted [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole_Traverse South Pole Overland Traverse] from coastal [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMurdo_Station McMurdo Research Station] to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station]. The subteam has already built two small prototype [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_polymer_battery lithium polymer battery]-powered rovers with custom-~~designed snow tires and GPS navigational functionality via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArduPilot ArduPilot] software. In the next stage of rover prototyping, we aim~~ to incorporate solar panels, a [https://www.starlink.com/ Starlink] installation for internet access for live control and video streaming, and a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidar LiDAR] module for object avoidance and path planning.		Research missions in harsh environments like the Arctic and Antarctic require continuous logistical support, and pose risks against human involvement. To provide long-term support for such missions, the Polar Rovers Program is developing a series of Semi-autonomous Rovers equipped to transport large payloads through unmapped terrain.

	~~The team~~'~~s most recent newsletter as~~ of ~~May 31st~~, ~~2023~~, ~~can be found [https://docs~~.~~google~~.~~com/document/d/1VvZwXrIFKdYS2W_nLkxKdV_XsbOiWKyIfT9YEr1~~-~~bAs/edit here.]~~		'''Scope:''' In its first stage, the Program aims to manufacture solar-powered rovers capable of continuously mobilising 15kg payloads for over 3 months in cold-weather conditions. These rovers will be equipped with local navigation and path planning algorithms, with interfaces for low-level teleoperations and high-level waypoint guidance.

			'''Progress:''' Our team has built and tested the first prototype teleoperated rover, with a solar panel mounting structure, independently driven wheels, custom tyres made in-house, and power regulation systems. This prototype showed successful structural and snow-driving capabilities at Donner Summit, CA.

			'''Impact:''' Semi-autonomous rovers simplify logistics for field research, and permit long-term research projects like surface feature mapping and near-ground meteorology!

	'''MARS EUROPA'''		'''MARS EUROPA'''
			[[File:Europa Benthic Lander.png\|thumb\|449x449px\|Europa's H-Fame benthic lander launched at Torpedo Wharf]]
			Benthic landers are observation platforms that sink to the bottom of a body of water prior to resurfacing. While less flexible than submersibles or ROVs, their simplicity allows for dramatically reduced costs.

			Our first prototype has a free-floating H-frame above an anchor line. The electronics housing includes a video camera, circular LED array, GPS transmitter, and battery. A magnetic switch allows activation without opening the housing.

			The prototype was successfully tested at San Francisco’s Torpedo Wharf using a 2-hour galvanic timed release, which dropped the anchor weight and caused the lander to resurface after filming from the seabed at a depth of 5 meters. A custom Niskin bottle below the electronics housing collected a water sample.

			A second prototype, undergoing testing in Monterey Bay, includes a satellite GPS transmitter (allowing for recovery beyond the horizon), an external pressure sensor, and a sediment scoop. The frame is self-righting, ensuring the transmitter stays above the waterline after resurfacing. Replacing our compressible foam floats should enable a descent to 1,000 m and beyond.

			[[File:Irec Payload 26.png\|left\|thumb\|452x452px\|Diagram of Microgravity Payload and its place in the NewCollins rocket.]]
			'''MICRO-GRAVITY CRYSTALIZATION'''

			The Microgravity Crystallization Team—in collaboration with Rockets for the 2026 IREC Competition—is sending a payload to 30,000 feet to examine how Sodium Acetate crystalizes under microgravity.

			Microgravity provides a unique environment for growing crystals with higher structural quality than those produced on Earth. Under normal gravity, convection and sedimentation can introduce defects and uneven growth. In microgravity, the absence of buoyancy-driven fluid motion creates a diffusion-dominated environment that often produces larger, more uniform crystals. These improvements are important for applications in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and advanced optical materials.

	~~'''MARS MICRO~~-~~GRAVITY CRYSTALIZATION'''~~		To study these effects, our team developed a rocket payload that measures nucleation density, crystal size, and growth rate of Sodium acetate trihydrate as it crystallizes in freefall from 30,000 feet. High-frame-rate imaging tracks the crystal growth front and allows comparison with identical experiments conducted under 1 g conditions.

	== Prior Projects ==		== Prior Projects ==

Dgass at 23:38, 11 April 2026

2026-04-11T23:38:46Z

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	The 2021-2022 Mars co-leads were Andrew Lesh and Kylie Holland.		The 2021-2022 Mars co-leads were Andrew Lesh and Kylie Holland.

	The current faculty advisor for the ~~Mars~~ team is [https://cee.stanford.edu/people/michael-lepech Dr. Michael Lepech].		The current faculty advisor for the Extreme Environments team is [https://cee.stanford.edu/people/michael-lepech Dr. Michael Lepech].
	==Teams==		==Teams==
	[[File:Polar Rover Prototype at First Testing Retreat.png\|left\|thumb\|This early prototype rover's GPS capabilities were tested at the March 2023 team retreat in Portola Valley. \|alt=\|243x243px]]		[[File:Polar Rover Prototype at First Testing Retreat.png\|left\|thumb\|This early prototype rover's GPS capabilities were tested at the March 2023 team retreat in Portola Valley. \|alt=\|243x243px]]

Dgass at 18:12, 10 April 2026

2026-04-10T18:12:19Z

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	The active projects within the Extreme Environments team are the Polar Rover, Europa Benthic Landers, and the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) Payload. The Polar Rover is a semi-autonomous rover designed to transport payloads over unmapped terrain, reducing the need for human presence in extreme polar research environments. The Europa Benthic Landers are low-cost observation platforms that sink to the seafloor to collect data. The Europa team is inspired by the subsurface ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa and are currently testing in the waters off California. The IREC Payload is aboard a rocket developed by the SSI Rockets team and flies to 30,000 feet to study how Sodium Acetate crystallizes in microgravity.		The active projects within the Extreme Environments team are the Polar Rover, Europa Benthic Landers, and the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) Payload. The Polar Rover is a semi-autonomous rover designed to transport payloads over unmapped terrain, reducing the need for human presence in extreme polar research environments. The Europa Benthic Landers are low-cost observation platforms that sink to the seafloor to collect data. The Europa team is inspired by the subsurface ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa and are currently testing in the waters off California. The IREC Payload is aboard a rocket developed by the SSI Rockets team and flies to 30,000 feet to study how Sodium Acetate crystallizes in microgravity.

	{{nowrap\|The current Extreme Environments co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}		{{nowrap\|The current Extreme Environments co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}<span></span><nowiki/>

	~~The current Extreme Environments co-leads are~~
	~~<span class="nowrap"></span>~~

	<code>'''[[File:SlackLogo.png\|middle\|25x25px]][https://ssi-teams.slack.com/messages/cgreen @Connor Green] '''</code> and <code>'''[[File:SlackLogo.png\|middle\|25x25px]][https://ssi-teams.slack.com/messages/dgass @Danny Gass] '''</code>

	<span></span><nowiki/>

	The 2025-2026 Mars co-leads were Colin Crown and Arden Boshler Wiese.		The 2025-2026 Mars co-leads were Colin Crown and Arden Boshler Wiese.

Dgass at 09:36, 10 April 2026

2026-04-10T09:36:25Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:36, 10 April 2026
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	The ''SSI Extreme Environments'' (formerly known as Mars) team designs and builds projects that operate in some of the most demanding and challenging conditions on Earth. The team designs technologies for environments where conventional approaches fail, like the weightlessness of microgravity, the crushing pressure of the depths of the ocean, and the freezing terrain of Antarctica. We push hardware and ideas to their limits, paving the way for expansion beyond Earth.		The ''SSI Extreme Environments'' (formerly known as Mars) team designs and builds projects that operate in some of the most demanding and challenging conditions on Earth. The team designs technologies for environments where conventional approaches fail, like the weightlessness of microgravity, the crushing pressure of the depths of the ocean, and the freezing terrain of Antarctica. We push hardware and ideas to their limits, paving the way for expansion beyond Earth.

	The active projects within the Extreme Environments team are the Polar Rover, Europa Benthic Landers, and the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) Payload. The Polar Rover is a semi-autonomous rover designed to transport payloads over unmapped terrain, reducing the need for human presence in extreme polar research environments. The Europa Benthic Landers are low-cost observation platforms that sink to the seafloor to collect data. The Europa team is inspired by the subsurface ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa and are currently testing in the waters off California. The IREC Payload, aboard a rocket developed by the SSI Rockets team, flies to 30,000 feet to study how Sodium Acetate crystallizes in microgravity~~, with applications in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and optical materials~~.{{nowrap\|The current Extreme Environments co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}		The active projects within the Extreme Environments team are the Polar Rover, Europa Benthic Landers, and the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) Payload. The Polar Rover is a semi-autonomous rover designed to transport payloads over unmapped terrain, reducing the need for human presence in extreme polar research environments. The Europa Benthic Landers are low-cost observation platforms that sink to the seafloor to collect data. The Europa team is inspired by the subsurface ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa and are currently testing in the waters off California. The IREC Payload is aboard a rocket developed by the SSI Rockets team and flies to 30,000 feet to study how Sodium Acetate crystallizes in microgravity.

			{{nowrap\|The current Extreme Environments co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}

			The current Extreme Environments co-leads are
			<span class="nowrap"></span>

			<code>'''[[File:SlackLogo.png\|middle\|25x25px]][https://ssi-teams.slack.com/messages/cgreen @Connor Green] '''</code> and <code>'''[[File:SlackLogo.png\|middle\|25x25px]][https://ssi-teams.slack.com/messages/dgass @Danny Gass] '''</code>

			<span></span><nowiki/>

	The 2025-2026 Mars co-leads were Colin Crown and Arden Boshler Wiese.		The 2025-2026 Mars co-leads were Colin Crown and Arden Boshler Wiese.

Dgass: I changed the description of the team as we changed the name.

2026-04-10T08:47:47Z

I changed the description of the team as we changed the name.

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	The ''SSI Mars team~~'' seeks to push the boundaries~~ of ~~crewed space missions and pave~~ the ~~way for permanent settlement of Mars~~ and ~~other celestial bodies. Our projects are centered~~ on ~~[https://en~~.~~wikipedia.org/wiki/In_situ_resource_utilization in situ resource utilization] (ISRU)~~, ~~a broad group~~ of ~~technologies which make use~~ of the ~~scant resources on Mars for long-term surface missions~~. We ~~turn Martian air~~ and ~~soil into fuel and concrete~~, ~~eliminating~~ the ~~need to launch everything from Earth. At the same time, ISRU technologies can sustainably produce fuel and building materials~~ for ~~use on~~ Earth~~, making our work a crucial step in fighting [https://en~~.~~wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change climate change]. If we learn to live on the Red Planet, we can also save the blue one!~~		The ''SSI Extreme Environments'' (formerly known as Mars) team designs and builds projects that operate in some of the most demanding and challenging conditions on Earth. The team designs technologies for environments where conventional approaches fail, like the weightlessness of microgravity, the crushing pressure of the depths of the ocean, and the freezing terrain of Antarctica. We push hardware and ideas to their limits, paving the way for expansion beyond Earth.

	~~Furthermore~~, ~~we are developing technologies to help explore uncharted regions of Mars~~, ~~such as~~ the ~~planet's [https://en~~.~~wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_polar_ice_caps polar ice caps]. Through the Mars~~ Polar Rover ~~Team, we are building~~ a rover ~~that will make a journey across Antarctica~~ to ~~set course~~ for ~~the South Pole on Earth~~. ~~This mission will serve as a template~~ to ~~one day reach~~ the ~~corresponding polar ice caps on Mars~~.		The active projects within the Extreme Environments team are the Polar Rover, Europa Benthic Landers, and the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) Payload. The Polar Rover is a semi-autonomous rover designed to transport payloads over unmapped terrain, reducing the need for human presence in extreme polar research environments. The Europa Benthic Landers are low-cost observation platforms that sink to the seafloor to collect data. The Europa team is inspired by the subsurface ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa and are currently testing in the waters off California. The IREC Payload, aboard a rocket developed by the SSI Rockets team, flies to 30,000 feet to study how Sodium Acetate crystallizes in microgravity, with applications in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and optical materials.{{nowrap\|The current Extreme Environments co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}

	It's ~~not just Martian technology that our team works on – we~~ are ~~also pursuing breakthroughs on~~ the ~~Moon~~. ~~One of our newest projects~~, a ~~partnership with aerospace company [https://astrolab.space Astrolab]~~, ~~aims~~ to ~~construct a prototype excavator~~ to ~~dig through [https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/05_1_snoble_thelunarregolith.pdf lunar regolith] for eventual human settlement~~ and ~~construction on the Moon~~.

	{{nowrap\|The current ~~Mars~~ co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}

	The 2025-2026 Mars co-leads were Colin Crown and Arden Boshler Wiese.		The 2025-2026 Mars co-leads were Colin Crown and Arden Boshler Wiese.

Mcmatich: Mcmatich moved page Category:Mars to Category:Extreme Environments

2026-04-10T04:04:45Z

Mcmatich moved page Category:Mars to Category:Extreme Environments

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:04, 10 April 2026
(No difference)

Ccrown at 03:09, 5 April 2026

2026-04-05T03:09:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:09, 5 April 2026
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	{{nowrap\|The current Mars co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}		{{nowrap\|The current Mars co-leads are {{Leadership\|Mars=true}}}}

			The 2025-2026 Mars co-leads were Colin Crown and Arden Boshler Wiese.

	The 2024-2025 Mars co-leads were Jack Liu and Sydney Leigh Bohles.		The 2024-2025 Mars co-leads were Jack Liu and Sydney Leigh Bohles.

Arden01: Moved old projects to under the "prior projects" heading, added headings for Europa and Micro-Gravity

2025-09-27T22:01:07Z

Moved old projects to under the "prior projects" heading, added headings for Europa and Micro-Gravity

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:01, 27 September 2025
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	The current faculty advisor for the Mars team is [https://cee.stanford.edu/people/michael-lepech Dr. Michael Lepech].		The current faculty advisor for the Mars team is [https://cee.stanford.edu/people/michael-lepech Dr. Michael Lepech].
			==Teams==
			[[File:Polar Rover Prototype at First Testing Retreat.png\|left\|thumb\|This early prototype rover's GPS capabilities were tested at the March 2023 team retreat in Portola Valley. \|alt=\|243x243px]]

			'''MARS POLAR ROVER'''

			The Mars Polar subteam is constructing an GPS-based autonomously-navigated rover to replicate driving conditions at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_polar_ice_caps Martian polar ice caps] in order to guide future NASA exploration of Mars. The long term goal is to test the rover on an expedition across Antarctica to reach the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole Earth's South Pole]. Specifically, the rover will follow the charted [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole_Traverse South Pole Overland Traverse] from coastal [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMurdo_Station McMurdo Research Station] to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen%E2%80%93Scott_South_Pole_Station Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station]. The subteam has already built two small prototype [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_polymer_battery lithium polymer battery]-powered rovers with custom-designed snow tires and GPS navigational functionality via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArduPilot ArduPilot] software. In the next stage of rover prototyping, we aim to incorporate solar panels, a [https://www.starlink.com/ Starlink] installation for internet access for live control and video streaming, and a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidar LiDAR] module for object avoidance and path planning.

			The team's most recent newsletter as of May 31st, 2023, can be found [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VvZwXrIFKdYS2W_nLkxKdV_XsbOiWKyIfT9YEr1-bAs/edit here.]

	'''~~IN SITU RESOURCE UTILIZATION (ISRU)~~'''		'''MARS EUROPA'''

	ISRU is focused on identifying sources of needed elements and materials from one’s immediate surroundings. For example, while the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_surface Martian surface] is barren and desolate, its carbon dioxide atmosphere provides a source of carbon and oxygen while subsurface water ice provides a source of oxygen and hydrogen. Using [https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/electrocatalysis#:~:text=Electrocatalysis%20is%20a%20catalytic%20process,the%20overpotential%20of%20the%20reactions. electrocatalysis] powered by solar panels, these two sources allow for the formation of breathable O2, methane for fueling rocket engines, and carbon monoxide for syngas. Meanwhile, Martian soil can be used as an aggregate base for concrete as well as a source for sulfur and basaltic minerals, whose significance is described below in Mars Bricks.

			'''MARS MICRO-GRAVITY CRYSTALIZATION'''

	==~~Teams~~==		== Prior Projects ==
	[[File:Bricks Payload.png\|thumb\|The bricks payload is operated via a Raspberry Pi to control the injection of water into the soil composite mixture to create a solid building material.\|alt=\|220x220px]]		[[File:Bricks Payload.png\|thumb\|The bricks payload is operated via a Raspberry Pi to control the injection of water into the soil composite mixture to create a solid building material.\|alt=\|220x220px]]

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	The team's most recent newsletter as of May 31st, 2023, can be found [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1skGbPGsTtTYo_auUtEarNrJxH0tcDeoltGQybplwCXk/edit?pli=1 here.]		The team's most recent newsletter as of May 31st, 2023, can be found [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1skGbPGsTtTYo_auUtEarNrJxH0tcDeoltGQybplwCXk/edit?pli=1 here.]

	~~[[File:Polar Rover Prototype at First Testing Retreat.png\|left\|thumb\|This early prototype rover~~'~~s GPS capabilities were tested at the March 2023 team retreat in Portola Valley. \|alt=\|243x243px]]~~		'''IN SITU RESOURCE UTILIZATION (ISRU)'''

			[[File:Excavator Drum Prototype.jpg\|thumb\|The rotating drum of the lunar excavator attachment in the process of having its teeth replaced for a new test run.]]

			ISRU is focused on identifying sources of needed elements and materials from one’s immediate surroundings. For example, while the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_surface Martian surface] is barren and desolate, its carbon dioxide atmosphere provides a source of carbon and oxygen while subsurface water ice provides a source of oxygen and hydrogen. Using [https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/electrocatalysis#:~:text=Electrocatalysis%20is%20a%20catalytic%20process,the%20overpotential%20of%20the%20reactions. electrocatalysis] powered by solar panels, these two sources allow for the formation of breathable O2, methane for fueling rocket engines, and carbon monoxide for syngas. Meanwhile, Martian soil can be used as an aggregate base for concrete as well as a source for sulfur and basaltic minerals, whose significance is described below in Mars Bricks.
	~~'''MARS POLAR ROVER'''~~

	~~The Mars Polar subteam~~ is ~~constructing an GPS-based autonomously-navigated rover to replicate driving conditions at~~ the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/~~Martian_polar_ice_caps~~ Martian ~~polar~~ ice ~~caps] in order to guide future NASA exploration~~ of ~~Mars~~. ~~The long term goal is to test the rover on an expedition across Antarctica to reach the~~ [https://en.~~wikipedia~~.~~org~~/~~wiki~~/~~South_Pole Earth's South Pole]. Specifically, the rover will follow the charted [https~~:~~//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole_Traverse South Pole Overland Traverse] from coastal [https~~:~~//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMurdo_Station McMurdo Research Station] to~~ the ~~[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amundsen~~%E2%80%~~93Scott_South_Pole_Station Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station]. The subteam has already built two small prototype [https://en.wikipedia~~.~~org/wiki/Lithium_polymer_battery lithium polymer battery~~]-powered rovers with custom-designed snow tires and GPS navigational functionality via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArduPilot ArduPilot] software. In the next stage of rover prototyping, we aim to incorporate solar panels, ~~a [https://www.starlink.com/ Starlink] installation~~ for ~~internet access~~ for ~~live control and video streaming~~, and ~~a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidar LiDAR] module~~ for ~~object avoidance and path planning~~.

	~~The team's most recent newsletter as of May 31st, 2023~~, can be ~~found [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VvZwXrIFKdYS2W_nLkxKdV_XsbOiWKyIfT9YEr1-bAs/edit here.]~~



	~~[[File:Excavator Drum Prototype.jpg\|thumb\|The rotating drum of the lunar excavator attachment in the process of having its teeth replaced~~ for a ~~new test run~~.]]

	'''MARS EXCAVATOR'''		'''MARS EXCAVATOR'''
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	==HOW TO JOIN:==		==HOW TO JOIN:==
	Join SSI, hop on the slack, and join [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/CJ8RJN4KS #mars], [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/~~CPJ1A6KME~~ #mars-~~bricks~~], [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/~~CP26XQU14~~ #mars-~~polar~~-~~rover~~], and [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/~~C05G0RSMMM3~~ #mars-~~excavator~~].		Join SSI, hop on the slack, and join [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/CJ8RJN4KS #mars], [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/CP26XQU14 #mars-polar-rover], [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/C09HBULDPEF #mars-0g-fab], and [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/C06FFBCAJVB #mars-europa].

	{{Nowrap\|Feel free to ping {{Leadership\|Mars=True}} if you have any questions or just want to chat!}}		{{Nowrap\|Feel free to ping {{Leadership\|Mars=True}} if you have any questions or just want to chat!}}