Around Australia Challenge, Dec - Jun 2002

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After setting a new Darwin to Adelaide record for Australian solar cars, Aurora-RMIT has set its sights on world records for long-distance and day-distance solar driving - read the pre-event press release.
 
The outstanding Victorian based Aurora-RMIT 101 solar car has smashed the world distance record for a solar car journey - read the post-event press release.

 

Wed 26th December
Aurora will depart from the steps of Parliament House Melbourne at 8.00am tomorrow...
[download report]

Thu 27th December
The Aurora team members undertaking the round Australia journey assembled...
[download report]

Fri 28th December
After a good night's sleep at the Yass Caravan Park and a solid charge from the early sunlight...
[download report]

Sat 29th December
Temperatures were rising as the team left Buladelah at 8.40 AM on Day 3...
[download report]

Sun 30th December
The overnight sleep in Murwillumbah was much needed leading to a thorough inspection...
[download report]

Mon 31st December
Continuing weather difficulties and resultant electrical problems with the solar car frustrated...
[download report]

Tue 1st January
New Year's Day saw the team busy on electrical waterproofing in the morning...
[download report]

Wed 2nd January
Further overnight repairs had all but one solar panel up and running...
[download report]

Thu 3rd January
The team faced overcast weather for the planned day's journey from...
[download report]

Fri 4th January
The team woke to rain and cloudy skies with flat batteries from the previous day...
[download report]

Sat 5th January
At least no rain! The skies were still cloudy but clearer than Day 9...
[download report]

Sun 6th January
The cloudy weather continued to dictate slow travelling. The previous day saw...
[download report]

Mon 7th January
As the rest of Australia was returning to work at the end of the Christmas-New Year break...
[download report]

Tue 8th January
Improving weather greeted the AURORA-RMIT 101 solar car team as they planned an early start...
[download report]

Wed 9th January
A short distance run and a new world record fill the report card for Day 14...
[download report]

Thu 10th January
High wind and high speed fill the report card for the Aurora-RMIT 101 solar car champions...
[download report]

Fri 11th January
Its enough to drive you 'willy willy'. Imagine start time being 7.50 AM and the temperature...
[download report]

Sat 12th January
Not a cloud in the sky but very hot once again. Departure from Minilya Roadhouse...
[download report]

Sun 13th January
Heading back to big city civilisation the Aurora-RMIT 101 departed Geraldton...
[download report]

Mon 14th January
After enjoying the generous hospitality of the SunGroper solar car team members...
[download report]

Tue 15th January
No rest day as was scheduled but instead a need to make up some lost ground...
[download report]

Wed 16th January
At 7.50 AM WST the Aurora-RMIT 101 team departed the busy outback post...
[download report]

Thu 17th January
This was going to be tough because it was imperative that the schedule to reach...
[download report]

Fri 18th January
The weather forecast for Adelaide was hot, 33 C. Also Melbourne was warming up...
[download report]

Sat 19th January
No cloud! Really?? This was the most perfect solar car day of the whole trip...
[download report]