The ETH Zurich student initiative CRATER qualified for the European Rover Challenge (ERC) for the first time. From 4 to 6 September 2026, the team competed against international teams in Poland, where its rover and drone tackled tasks inspired by those that could arise during an actual Mars mission. Founded around a year ago, CRATER brings together approximately 80 students who apply knowledge from their studies to the development of robotic systems for space exploration.
Over the past year, the team developed and tested its robotic systems at Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich. The project gave students the opportunity to translate theoretical knowledge into hands-on engineering experience, bringing together different disciplines to design, build and test complex robotic technologies. Participation in the European Rover Challenge provided an international setting in which the team could put these systems to the test under mission-like conditions.
CRATER’s ambitions extend beyond the competition. Over the long term, the initiative aims to develop space-ready robotic systems while giving students practical experience with the technologies and engineering challenges that will shape future space exploration. The project illustrates how access to an innovation environment and testing infrastructure can help student teams turn ambitious ideas into functioning systems and build valuable technical expertise along the way.
