Event Overview
Based on the TRC2027 Competition Guidelines (1st Edition)
Updated as new information becomes available
Competition Overview
Lunar development is attracting attention around the world. Surveys of water and metal resources and the construction of crewed bases on the Moon are planned for the 2030s–2040s, and the Moon is becoming a place of great scientific and economic value.
These plans will make use of unmanned spacecraft and robots both in Japan and abroad, making it increasingly important to develop people with these technologies.
Tottori Rover Challenge 2027 is a competition held at the Tottori Sand Dunes Lunar Demonstration Field "Luna Terrace," where teams use unmanned rovers to compete in the technologies needed for scientific exploration and base construction on the Moon. We aim to make it a gateway for aspiring engineers and researchers who hope to work in space development and the space industry.
Competition Theme: "Do more with less"
In the early stages of lunar development, resources such as equipment, power, and time are limited. This year, the competition changes from three missions to two. Teams do not need to attempt every task — deciding what to challenge, what to secure, and what to deliberately give up is itself part of the competition. In the science tasks, the judges evaluate the reasoning process, not whether the answer is correct.
Exploration Mission
(40-minute time limit)
A mission that uses the Moon both as a target of scientific exploration and as a base for observing the universe. Teams freely choose, in any order, from four tasks: (1) lander maintenance, (2) rock observation, sample return and scientific analysis, (3) transporting and placing construction materials, and (4) deploying a lunar observatory antenna. Scores are based on task completion and distance to the goal. Teleoperation is allowed, and higher autonomy levels earn bonus points.
Autonomous Mission
(30-minute time limit)
A mission to survey candidate sites for new activity bases and the routes connecting them. Using ArUco markers on the field as clues, the rover itself generates its tour order and driving route to visit the checkpoints. Along the way, it surveys the terrain, photographs rocks and the lander's failure locations, and captures an overhead image from high ground. Finally, it estimates the target location from a pre-shared image and heads to the goal autonomously. The Basic and Expert Divisions run fully autonomously (Autonomy Level 3).
Three Divisions
Entry Division (12 teams): one mission (Autonomous Mission)
Basic Division (12 teams): two missions (Exploration and Autonomous)
Expert Division (6 teams): both missions, requiring more advanced technology and analytical thinking. In principle, prior competition experience is required.
For details, see the Competition Guidelines and the Competition Rulebook (Appendix 1).
