Exploring the World with Space Rovers

Opublikowano: 19/05/2026 11:27 am

MSc Eng. Marcel Szubartowski began his PhD studies this year at the Warsaw University of Technology, focusing on biomimetic robotics for space exploration. However, he has been developing his passion for science for many years. Since 2022, he has been a member of the Students’ Space Association, where in the Robotics Section he worked as a mechanical engineer on the Sirius 2 rover. His team participated in numerous competitions, including the European Rover Challenge, Anatolian Rover Challenge, and University Rover Challenge. More about the competitions can be found on the WUT website: https://www.pw.edu.pl/.../dwa-zespoly-kol-naukowych-w...

Marcel is also a member of the Research Section, where he coordinates the mechanical engineering work in the EVE CURiE project within the BEXUS Programme. As a student, he took part in the launch campaign: https://www.pw.edu.pl/.../jak-wytwarzac-wiecej-mocy-w.... Furthermore, through this project he will also attend the PAC Symposium in Trondheim, the URSI GASS conference in Kraków, and the AAAC conference in Hong Kong. 

Additionally, as a member of the CanSat PW project, supported by NASA and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, he is set to travel to the USA for a launch campaign: https://www.pw.edu.pl/.../studenci-politechniki...

Marcel has no intention of slowing down. Alongside his other activities, he and his team are developing the FIRO (FLASH Inspection ROver) project - a rover designed to operate in high-radiation environments. During his Erasmus internship at DESY in 2024, Marcel worked as a mechanical engineer on the development of FIRO 2.1, contributing to work on the FLASH particle accelerator and even gaining access to the accelerator tunnel itself.

The FIRO project is continuously evolving and may soon transform into a robotics startup: https://rxsio.github.io/firo-docs/

Outside of academia and engineering, Marcel volunteers at the Na Paluchu Animal Shelter. Caring for the animals helps him disconnect from the daily challenges of working on robotics projects.

Autorka tekstu: Aleksandra Stefanowicz, Członek zarządu RDPW ds. promocji