Day three at Mission Control

[ This article by Freya Dougan-Whaite, was published on October 18 2011, last updated on April 2 2012. ]

An eventful day yesterday for the World Solar Challenge teams concluded with the three leading teams (Tokai University from Japan, Nuon from the Netherlands, and University of Michigan, USA) camped together at a police roadblock in Wauchope, 116km south of Tennant Creek. Meanwhile a bushfire tore across the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek.

Today, day three of the challenge, the road was reopened and the three leading teams left Wauchope roadhouse. Starting from 8am, they were separated according to the times they had arrived: Tokai departed at 8am, Nuon at 8:10am and Michigan at 8:12am.

Another day of driving commenced.

Besides raging bushfires, the World Solar Challenge Teams also have to contend with other hazards. ‘First bushfires and now two massive roadtrains,’ the official Veolia World Solar Challenge web page said today. The roadtrains were reportedly some eight metres wide, making their way north along the Stuart Highway.

UK news site, The Register, spoke with leading team member Bruno Moorthamers of Nuon Solar Car Team. Bruno talked about the challenges a solar car driver faces on the road.

The Register reports: ‘Bruno told us of his encounter with the monster truck convoy and their warning vehicles. His support vehicles drove on to the side of road, but solar car steering didn’t allow him that option. Instead he had to carry on, a “little under” the giant trailers.’

You can view RiAus Director, Dr Paul Willis, interviewing Bruno here. Bruno confides to Paul that he envisions this year’s World Solar Challenge will be ‘extremely fun and super tense.’ Of Nuon Solar Car Team, he says: ‘we’re going to come first.’

At the end of the day’s driving at the Alice Springs check point, the top teams so far were:

Tokai Solar Team

Nuon Solar Team

University of Michigan Solar Team

Alice Springs was sunny and 32°C today.

Current leaders at a glance

Tokai Solar Team: The 2011 World Solar Challenge is a special year for the Tokai team. They hope to raise awareness to encourage Japan’s reconstruction after the devastating tsunami this March. Tokai want to repeat their win of 2009.

Nuon Solar Team: The solar car entered by Nuon in this year’s challenge, the Nuna6, has five successful predecessors. Nuna1, Nuna2, Nuna3 and Nuna4 have all taken out gold medals. Nuna5 won a second place. The Nuon team motto is: ‘If we drive faster, then they can’t win.’

University of Michigan Solar Team: Widely recognised as the best team in North America, the University of Michigan team hope that their eleventh generation car, Quantum, will take out the top prize. You can read all about the team’s progress in the Challenge via their website.

For those who’ve been keeping up-to-date with the Veolia World Solar Challenge Outreach Program, you’ll know that Martin and Nick from Aurora have been travelling with RiAus through regional towns along the route, giving demonstrations for local communities about solar car science.

The Aurora Solar Car Team arrived in Alice Springs at 15:50pm (Darwin Time) today.

You can meet members of the winning teams in person at the teams reception on Friday 21 October.

Learn more about the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge.

By Freya Dougan-Whaite