African youth test Mars rovers at Sansa’s Hartebeesthoek Mars Yard

In a unique competition, African youth showcased their engineering skills by testing Mars rovers at the Hartebeesthoek Mars Yard during the Cars4Mars African Rover Challenge Mars Stage Final 2026. Hosted by the South African National Space Agency (Sansa), the event attracted over 120 participants from South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, representing more than 100 teams from 11 African countries.

The challenge began on May 1 and concluded with the final on Saturday. The rovers had to complete two missions: the Traversal Mission, which required remote navigation across uneven terrain while carrying objects, and the AI Autonomous Mission, where teams used computer vision to identify objects like hammers, tennis balls, and colored balloons.

Teams earned extra points for pinpointing object locations. Cars4Mars founder Basia Nasiorowska highlighted the day's emphasis on grit, noting the challenges teams faced and their perseverance in overcoming them. The rovers were tested in a Mars Yard constructed from 40 tonnes of red sand, built to replicate Martian terrain and sponsored by Afrimat.

Cyberstorm from Milestone High School in Zimbabwe emerged as the top winner, followed by Inadeptus Mechanicus from Rhodes and Stellenbosch Universities, and Tech Tonic from Bryanston High School. Special awards were given for excellence in AI, traversal, design, and creativity, while all finalists received Perseverance Awards and were presented with Creality 3D printers, RS South Africa vouchers, and 3D-printed trophies.

The event was backed by various partners, including SMD Technologies, Scientific Technical Labs, MSI ZA, Stelltron, ER24, and Vision Dynamics. Sansa emphasized that the competition not only showcases innovation but also provides African youth with an opportunity to tackle real challenges and envision themselves as part of the future of space exploration.