On Friday, June 26, the Mars Rover Test Site was officially inaugurated at the CENAGIS center of the Warsaw University of Technology in Józefosław. The first test site in Józefosław—covering an area of approximately 120 m²—was established in 2025. In 2026, it was expanded to nearly five times its original size. A special track made of aggregate allows for testing rovers and drones under ground and terrain conditions similar to those found in certain areas of Mars. The test field is another component of the CENAGIS infrastructure.
The creation of the test field is the result of intensive work by the Warsaw University of Technology’s Interdisciplinary Mars Exploration Team, which consists of scientists from the Faculties of Geodesy and Cartography and Electronics and Information Technology. The test track covers an area of 500 m² and is constructed from various fractions of aggregate, primarily Devonian limestone. The field features faithful replicas of Martian terrain features, such as craters and dunes. Polish LeoRover rovers and drones are tested here, and scientists are working on autonomous robot swarm systems. The support of partners was essential during the track’s construction. Expert advice on the shape and form of Martian terrain was provided by researchers from Jagiellonian University, primarily Dr. Mateusz Sobucki. The team also received scientific support from NASA JPL and Ames. The NordKalk mine donated 150 metric tons of aggregate, and the rovers were supplied by the Polish company FictionLab.