INTERNATIONAL
ROVER CHALLENGE - 2024

EXPLORE

Welcome to IRC

DISCOVER THE INNOVATOR IN YOU

SPROS IRC is a space robotics engineering competition. It challenges university students to conceptualise, design, develop and operate an astronaut-assistive next-generation space Rover and perform specific missions in Mars simulated conditions. 

The objective of the competition is to provide students with a real-world interdisciplinary engineering experience, combining practical engineering skills with soft skills, including business planning and project management. 

Commencing this year, teams will be allowed to fly drones in the IRC. During the IRC Finals, they are allowed to utilise a drone in one of the four missions of their choice. The use of drone is optional and whether or not teams employ drones will not impact their final scores.

January 24-29, 2024

Venue: PSG iTech, Coimbatore, India

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Competition

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Months of Work

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Teams

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Students

IRC Finals

The IRC 2024 Finals will be performed within a specially designed 20,000 square meter simulated landscape called Sproscape. It will be the world’s largest arena of its kind.

ABEx

Astrobiology Expedition: The rover acts as a Mobile Science Laboratory to collect samples and perform analysis to seek signs of life.

ID&MO

Instrument Deployment and Maintenance Operation: The rovers traverses a short distance to operate on a mock-up instrument panel to perform a set of precise operations.

R&DO

Reconnaissance and Delivery Operation: The rover reconnaissance an area to search, locate, pick up, and deliver objects to specific locations.

AutEx

Autonomous Mission: The rover is required to traverse between markers across moderately rugged terrain autonomously using arrow signs. Teleoperation is not allowed in this mission.

IRC RULEBOOK - 2024

Any changes in the dates or mode of the competition due to any circumstances shall be communicated to the teams. 

Key IRC Dates & Submissions

August

23

IRC & ISDC Rulebook Release

August 23, 2023 – 05:30 pm (IST)

AUG

25

Registration Starts

August 25, 2023 – 06:00 pm (IST)

SEP

15

Early Bird Offer Ends

September 30, 2023 – 06:00 pm (IST)

OCT

15

Registration Ends

September 30, 2023 – 06:00 pm (IST)

NOV

25

SDDR Submission

25 November, 2023 – 11:59 pm (IST)

NOV

30

SDDR Result (Tentative)

November 30, 2023 – 06:00 pm (IST)

Jan

24

IRC Finals Inauguration

January 24, 2024 — 3:30 pm IST

jan

29

IRC Valedictory Function

January 29, 2024 – 06:00 pm (IST)

FAQ

Any issues not covered by these published FAQs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the IRC officials. If there is a discrepancy, the Rulebook will take precedence over FAQs.

Early Bird Offer: Teams will receive a discount of 25 USD on the registration fee for the Finals, if they register and pay for the competition before a specific deadline, which is September 15, 2023.  

There will be an initial  application fee and participation fee.

Application Fee - 195 USD. It will be paid by the teams after completing the registration form.
Participation Fee - 320 USD. It will be paid by the teams which qualify for the IRC Finals. Application fee is non-refundable and non-adjustable. However, if the competition doesn't take place in the on-site mode then Participation fee will be adjusted to the next edition of the competition.

No. There is no limit to the number of teams that can register for IRC 2023. But only top 20 ranked teams in System Design and Development Review (SDDR) and 5 wildcard entry teams will be invited to compete in the on-site event.

The maximum allowable length and width of the rover are 1.5m and 1.2m, respectively.
There is no vertical height limit for IRC 2022. If the rover is oversized during a mission, the
team will be charged a penalty of 20% of the points scored during that mission.

Yes. Teams are allowed to take interventions during the missions but there will be a penalty for each interventions.

The teams shall make One Rover. The Rover however may have swappable modules for carrying out different tasks. The modules shall be swapped by astronauts at the base station.

Ready To Start Your Exploration?

The registration window for  International Rover Challenge (IRC) 2024 open. Register today!