Competition Day
This year’s competition has a competition day dedicated to each stream. The basic stream will be hosted at RAL Space and the advanced stream will be hosted at Airbus Defence and Space.
Advanced
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Basic
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Programme
Getting To Airbus
This year’s advanced stream competition day will be hosted at Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage.
Directions To Airbus Defence and Space
Venue name: STEM Discovery Centre
Airbus Defence and Space Post Code = SG1 2AD
Parking at the STEM Centre is only permitted if you have submitted your car registration number during the security form.
If you still intend to travel by car, please look here for potential locations to park your car.
Stevenage Train station is a 20 minute walk from the Airbus Site.
LNER and Thameslink both operate through Stevenage.
The train journey from London Kings Cross to Stevenage is approx 30 minutes
Recommend using Trainline app and obtaining a 16-25 Railcard
Please check the train routes in advance.
There is a National Express station located next to the train station, offering a cheaper alternative compared to the train.
It may be harder to find suitable storage for the rover on these services.
Premier Inn: 9-minute walk away from the Airbus site.
Holiday Inn: 19-minute walk away from the Airbus site.
Prices range from £90-£120 for one room, one night.
Registration
Please ensure you arrive promptly for registration. Once you enter through the STEM Discovery Centre, you will reach reception, where you will be met by members of the organising team to register and collect your visitor badges. You must wear your badge at all times throughout the day. You will then be able to enter the event during the Welcome Session, where you will have the opportunity to have some coffee, tea and pastries.
What To Bring
Aside from yourselves and your rover, don’t forget to bring anything you need to operate the rover as well as any backups in case things go wrong on the day (check your risk assessments?!). An example list may include:
Team Equipment
Rover
Protective packaging (don’t want to destroy the rover just yet!)
Spare rover components (wheels, batteries etc)
Computers, charging cables
Hand tools (nothing that requires plugging in)
Comms setup (RF equipment, controllers)
Note there will be no WiFi access on the day
M8 Bolts for attaching to the vibration table and for attaching the solar arrays
Game plan (decide mission protocol: who will be in the control room, who will be in the Yard, what is the plan if something goes wrong, etc)
Personal belongings
You must bring your passport. Failure to do so may result in not being granted access to the site
Anything required for transport (train/bus tickets, railcard, Oyster cards etc)
Shoes you don’t mind getting a bit dirty!
Usual travel items (change of clothes, phone chargers etc)
What NOT to Bring
Any power tools (they shall be provided for you)
Parents! They have not been security checked so will not be allowed on site.
Getting To RAL Space
This year’s basic stream competition day will be hosted at RAL Space in Harwell.
Directions To RAL Space
Venue name: R100, RAL Space
RAL Space Post Code = OX11 0QX
For a more detailed view, please use the interactive map. RAL Space is located on the Harwell Campus, directly off the A34. There is limited parking available for visitors next to the R100 building. From the Fermi Entrance, take the first exit at the roundabout with the large dish onto Fermi Avenue. At the next roundabout, take the third exit onto Eighth Street then turn left into the R100 car park.
From the A34 northbound Exit the A34 at the Chilton junction and take the first exit at the roundabout onto the A4185. At the next roundabout, take the first exit to the Fermi Entrance. From the A34 southbound Exit the A34 at the Chilton junction and take the second exit at the roundabout. At the next roundabout, take the third exit onto the A4185. Continue straight on the A4185 and at the next roundabout, take the first exit to the Fermi Entrance. The M4 motorway junction 13 is 9 miles away from the campus. The M40 junctions 8 and 9 are within a 30 minute drive.
Park outside building R100, or the NSTF building R114. Collect a parking permit from R100 reception and display it on your vehicle dashboard for the day.
Didcot Parkway rail station is five miles away, with direct services to London (Paddington) in under 45 minutes and Oxford City in under 15 minutes. It is easy to cycle from the station to Harwell campus, and there are frequent bus services and taxis available for onward travel to RAL Space.
Please note that there is no Uber in Oxfordshire. However, there is a taxi rank located at the Didcot Parkway railway station, with taxis available to RAL Space. Some local taxi companies numbers are listed below:
● 001 Taxis – 01865 240000
● Royal Cars – 01865 777333
● Go Green Taxis Oxford – 01865 922222
Bus stops and routes on campus can be found on the Harwell Campus travel map (PDF, 9MB). Details of all bus services serving Harwell can be found on the Oxford Bus Company website, including:
● ST1: Oxford, Broad Street direct via A34 to Harwell Campus
● X34 and X35: Didcot, Great Western Park, Harwell Campus then Wantage and Faringdon (X35) or Chilton and Newbury (X34)
Registration
Please ensure you arrive promptly for registration. Arrive at RAL Space R100
reception to collect visitor badges and parking permits. You will be taken to a
station to work at for the day and teams must be ready for the safety briefing at
8:30am.
Please see the map below for an overview of the relevant locations throughout
the event. You will be exclusively on the ground floor:
What To Bring
Aside from yourselves and your rover, don’t forget to bring anything you need to operate the rover as well as any backups in case things go wrong on the day (check your risk assessments?!). An example list may include:
Team Equipment
● Rover
● Protective packaging (don’t want to destroy the rover just yet!)
● Spare rover components (wheels, batteries etc)
● Computers, charging cables that have a valid PAT test sticker – items that are not PAT tested are not allowed to be plugged in on site.
● Comms setup (RF equipment, controllers)
● Bolts for attaching to the vibration table
● Screwdrivers, allen keys, other standard tools
● Duct tape?! WD40?!
● Game plan (decide mission protocol: who will be in the control room, who will be in the Yard, what is the plan if something goes wrong, etc)
Personal belongings
● You must bring your passport. Failure to do so may result in not being granted access to the site
● Anything required for transport (train/bus tickets, railcard, Oyster cards etc)
● Shoes you don’t mind getting a bit dirty!
● Usual travel items (change of clothes, phone chargers etc)
● Comfortable footwear; open-toed footwear is not permitted inside the testing facility.
What not to bring
● Parents or additional guests! They are not registered for attendance and will not be able to access the site.
Behaviour
By participating in the Olympus Rover Trials, you are agreeing to behave as an ambassador for your university and UKSEDS and are expected to behave accordingly. The sites you shall be attending are work spaces which are utilised throughout the week. Therefore, all spaces must be treated with respect and cleaned up afterwards. Locations that are marked as “No Entry” shall be treated as such and
The staff present are all volunteers, dedicating their time to ensuring the day runs smoothly and that you get to make the most of the visit. All staff present will work at the facility throughout the week and must be treated with the utmost respect.
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