Aurora 101 returns to the RACV Energy Breakthrough much changed since 2004. It has just competed in the 2005 World Solar Challenge finishing second to the highly financed Dutch team: ‘Nuna 3’.
From Berwick Secondary College, Daniel Mills has a keen interest in composites and has spent many Saturdays in Aurora’s workshop completing credits for work experience. Daniel was a member of Aurora’s team for the recent World Solar Challenge, where Aurora averaged 93 km/h over the jounrey from Darwin to Adelaide.
The Aurora squad is now looking for 5 interested schools that want to move on to building a solar car to compete in the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge. So if you think your school has the drive to take a step beyond the Breakthrough, contact David Fewchuk on (03) 8608 2889. The group will be working low-cost construction materials such as polystyrene in the hope of overcoming one of the greatest factors restricting groups wanting to take-on solar car manufacture: COST.
In August, Aurora 101 finished third in Japan’s biggest event, The Suzuka Dream Cup. Breaking the record for number of laps covered in 8 hours of tense racing and is the Best Foreign Entry at this event ever.
The Aurora team is also the first solar car to race for 24-hours straight – completing 1255 kms over New Years Eve last year. “It’s all about power and battery management.” David Fewchuk said about the idea of racing a solar car overnight, “We’re going to have another shot soon and hopefully the conditions will be better. Without overcast conditions we’re hoping to blast that 1255km record away.”
With a new vehicle currently under development, the squad has high hopes about embarking on an unofficial world solar car tour next year, taking in Paris, Ferrari’s private testing track (Maranello) in Italy, Suzuka and Taiwan.
Visit the Aurora website to find out more.
