Missouri S&T’s Mars Rover Design Team (MRDT) is a completely student-led and student-funded organization full of dedicated students who design, build, and compete with advanced Mars Rovers in the University Rover Challenge. Our mission is to push the boundaries of engineering and science through hands-on experience, innovation, and teamwork, while inspiring the next generation of explorers, and we need your support to do so.
Since our founding 14 years ago, our team has designed and built a new Mars rover from the ground up every year to compete in the University Rover Challenge. This international competition, held at the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah, brings together teams from universities across the globe to take on missions that simulate assisting astronauts on Mars. Over the past decade, our team has consistently ranked among the top five in the world, and this year, we're aiming to defend our title for first.
Your support is what enables us to take our rover from Rolla, Missouri, to the University Rover Challenge. This competition is more than just a test of engineering—it’s an opportunity for us to gain invaluable hands-on experience, develop critical problem-solving skills, and collaborate under real-world conditions. With your help, we can proudly represent Missouri S&T on an international stage, demonstrating our passion for robotics and space exploration.
Below is an idea of where your support will go as we travel from Rolla, Missouri to Hanksville, Utah to compete in the University Rover Challenge in May!
- Housing for our team will cost $4,000
- Food for our team will cost $2,000
- Gas for our cargo and passenger van will cost $1,800
- Uniforms to represent our team will cost $1,600
- Our additional rental van will cost $600
All donations are tax deductible, and donors receive updates of the team’s progress. You will receive an email receipt with your donation for tax records.
Thank you for your support, as we continue to #RoveSoHard!
Happy St Patrick's Day!
Thanks to your generous support, we have officially reached our 2026 crowdfunding goal!
Your continued support enables the future generation of elite engineers to break ground on new rover capabilities and enabling humanity to pursue our celestial destiny.
If you are able, we would greatly appreciate you continuing to share our campaign with your friends and family. Your voice has already made a difference and will continue to help us go even further.
It feels especially meaningful to celebrate this milestone today, alongside the spirit of St. Patrick's Day and the strong community that made it possible.
Thank you again for being part of this journey.
#RoveSoHard
Thanks to the incredible outpouring of support from our donors, we are now within reach of our initial $10,000 goal. Your generosity is what makes it possible for our team to travel to Utah and compete with confidence.
With the campaign’s momentum, we’ve introduced a stretch goal to help cover additional travel‑week needs and ensure the entire team is fully supported throughout the competition. While $10,000 covers our core travel expenses, the stretch goal allows us to plan for the real‑world costs that come with transporting and supporting a large team across the country. This includes rising travel costs, additional meals during long competition days, extra lodging flexibility for early mornings and late nights, on‑site transportation needs, and other unexpected expenses that can arise throughout the week.
Your support—at any level—strengthens our ability to represent Missouri S&T on the international stage. Thank you for helping us get this close, and for continuing to push the team forward.
