Rover Dawgs compete at Human Exploration Rover Challenge
SWOSU Rover Dawgs pose with their human-powered rover at NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge. From left are Brett Chase, Nathan Brooks, Tomas Izquierdo, Mason Pritchard, Brandon Ogle, Caden Tucker, Justin Wiersema, and Kamryn Brewer; seated, Ana Ar
The SWOSU Rover Dawgs with the remote-controlled rover. From left are Brett Chase, Tiffany Lorenz, Wyatt Riley, Ryker Miller, Brandon Ogle, Wyatt Chisum, Kaleb DeVaughan, Brian Izaguirre, Jonathan Wilson, and Nathan Brooks.
Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s (SWOSU) Rover Dawgs recently competed in NASA’s 2026 Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC), held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. The annual competition, sponsored by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, brought together 42 student teams from around the world.
Each team was challenged to design, build, and operate human-powered or remotely controlled rovers capable of completing complex mission objectives in extreme terrain conditions.
The SWOSU Rover Dawgs entered two teams in the competition, one humanpowered and one remote- controlled, and both placed among the top finishers.