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

Beyond robots, the test empowered African youth to solve real challenges and shape the future of space exploration. Africa’s young innovators turned Hartebeesthoek into a Martian frontier this weekend, as 18 finalist teams battled terrain, technology and time in the Cars4Mars African Rover Challenge Mars Stage Final 2026. Hosted at the South African National Space Agency’s (Sansa) Mars Yard, the competition drew more than 120 participants from South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Five-month challenge They were the best of nearly 100 teams from 11 African countries who entered the five‑month challenge, which began on 1 May and culminated in Saturday’s final. The rovers faced two missions: the Traversal Mission, requiring remote navigation across uneven terrain while transporting objects, and the AI Autonomous Mission, where teams applied computer vision to identify items such as hammers, tennis balls and coloured balloons. Extra points were awarded for systems that could pinpoint object locations. Skill Cars4Mars founder Basia Nasiorowska said the day showcased grit as much as skill “We saw wheels come off, AI systems falter, and teams forced to improvise. Yet they kept going. That perseverance is what stood out most. By the end, they had overcome obstacles and completed their missions. Every participant should be proud of the determination and creativity they showed.” Judged by an international panel, the rovers were tested on a Mars Yard built from 40 tonnes of red sand sponsored by Afrimat to replicate Martian terrain. Top honours Top honours went to Cyberstorm from Milestone High School in Zimbabwe, followed by Inadeptus Mechanicus from Rhodes and Stellenbosch Universities, and Tech Tonic from Bryanston High School. Special awards recognised excellence in AI, traversal, design and creativity, while all other finalists received Perseverance Awards. Winners walked away with Creality 3D printers, RS South Africa vouchers and 3D‑printed trophies. A wide range of partners backed the event, including SMD Technologies, Scientific Technical Labs, MSI ZA, Stelltron, ER24 and Vision Dynamics. Picture: Sansa African youth Sansa said the partnership cements Hartebeesthoek as the permanent venue for future finals. “This is about more than robots. It’s about giving African youth the chance to solve real challenges and see themselves as part of the future of space exploration,” Nasiorowska added.