Ad Astra

Ad Astra is our current rover in development. The name comes from Latin, meaning “to the stars”. Using lessons learned from the design, manufacture, and operation of our previous rovers, this rover features many improvements over its predecessor. It draws direct inspiration from Picus Martius, and even inherited some key design elements. Astra has marched at the NIU homecoming parade three times, in 2024, 2025, and 2026, and is our current competitive rover.

Ex Arca

Ex Arca, the most recent prior rover. The name comes from Latin, meaning “out of the box”, reflecting its unconventional 'coffin' shape. This Rover got us through the 2020 pandemic and even into acceptance at the Canadian International Rover Challenge. Due to some limitations of the chassis design, we opted to retire Ex Arca during the summer of 2022. 

Picus Martius

The NIU Mars Rover team was informally started in August 2016 and formally sanctioned in July 2017. Five engineering seniors from Northern Illinois University - Matthew Woodall, Tim Olson, Gunnar Beachler, Dan Petschow, and Tom Jareczek - designed, machined, programmed, and worked together to create a rover for their senior design. They received first place for their efforts at the NIU Spring 2017 Mechanical Engineering Senior Design showcase. The club that would follow it was built off their efforts with the purpose of educating and challenging students, and inherited the rover they had built.

That rover was named Picus Martius. If you’re curious about the etymology of the name, it comes from the taxonomy of the Great Black Woodpecker, which the Romans believed to be a Sacred Animal of Mars. After 2 years of valiant service, Picus Martius was officially retired in the Fall of 2018.