Student Mars Exploration Rover Development Project Notice Regarding Sponsorship Agreement with the "ARES Project"
December 16, 2025
Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Ltd. (JAE) today announced its sponsorship of the ARES Project, Japan’s first student-led Mars rover development initiative.
The ARES Project, primarily composed of students from Tohoku University and Keio University, aims to win the University Rover Challenge (URC)—a global competition featuring over 100 teams from more than a dozen countries—and to nurture talent for future space exploration.
The URC includes preliminary evaluations in December and March, with top teams advancing to the finals held each June in the southern Utah desert, USA. The ARES Project has already qualified for the finals in 2024 and 2025 and is now accelerating development with the goal of securing victory in 2026.
ARES Project members with the Mars exploration rover
JAE is sponsoring the ARES Project to foster the development of young engineers and contribute to the advancement of the space sector. Beyond financial support, JAE will provide high-durability, high-reliability connectors and other products, as well as offer technical expertise to assist the team’s efforts.
Providing high-durability, high-reliability connectors and more
JAE reaffirms its commitment to driving technological innovation and nurturing the next generation of talent, continuing to actively contribute to society through its technologies.
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Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Ltd.
Corporate Planning and Investor Relations Div.
21-1, Dogenzaka 1-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0043, Japan
Tel : +81-3-3780-2711 Fax : +81-3-3780-2733
Information and details given here are as of the date of publication.
Please note that the details may be changed.