Tsukuba Rover Team · Japan
Building planetary rovers
from Tsukuba to the world.
A student team from the University of Tsukuba and Osaka Institute of Technology, designing, building and operating planetary exploration rovers.
Results
Winner, Tottori Rover Challenge 2026 — Entry Division
1st
Entry Division
Tottori Rover Challenge 2026
1st
Qualifying round
Top student team
23
Teams competed
Won on our debut
2027
Next goal
URC finals
About us
Engineering and science for the next generation of space explorers.
Founded in 2025 in Tsukuba, Ibaraki — Japan’s science city — TSUKUBA ROVER TEAM brings together students in mechanical, electrical, software and planetary science. We design, build and operate our rovers entirely as students.
Our goals for 2027 are a top finish in the Expert Division of the Tottori Rover Challenge and a place in the finals of the University Rover Challenge (URC) in Utah, USA.
Rover
TSUKUBA ROVER 1 (TR-1)
Our first rover, built in about six months and designed to score reliably in every mission: driving on loose sand, grasping heavy objects, avoiding obstacles and navigating autonomously.
Mobility
4-wheel drive, 4-wheel independent steering, TPU tires
Manipulation
5-axis arm — lifted and carried a 5 kg steel ball
Communication
5 GHz (W56) Wi-Fi for video and control
Software
ROS 2 / micro-ROS on Teensy 4.1
Team
Four disciplines, one rover
Mechanical
Chassis, suspension and arm — designed and machined in-house.
Electrical
Custom PCBs for power distribution, motor control and sensors.
Software
Teleoperation, autonomous navigation and video streaming.
Science
Mission planning and instruments for rock imaging and soil temperature.
Supported by
Our partners
Partner with us
Join us on the journey.
We welcome sponsors, partner teams and media. Reach us at tsukubarover@gmail.com.