Live
The Mars Yard
A real rover on Mars-like terrain in Cape Town, driven by learners from a browser. The Mars Yard is live and the first learners have run code.
Project Brief
MARS ISWITHIN REACH
SAPIENT is the South African Planetary Institute for Exploring Nature with Technology. Our Mars Yard puts a real rover on Mars-like terrain in Cape Town, and learners drive it with code.
What we are building
Our Projects
Fundraising
JPL Open Source Rover
We are fundraising to build a JPL Open Source Rover, a six-wheel rover based on the ones on Mars, to take exploring beyond the Mars Yard.
Project BriefOngoing
Code Club and the new curriculum
Growing Code Club and supporting the roll-out of South Africa's new Coding & Robotics Curriculum, now with classroom lesson plans and club projects co-created with teacher Dominique Cave.
Project Brief
Public talk
THE REAL STAR WARS
A free Star Wars Day talk on how rocks from space have shaped the South African landscape, with meteorites, meteors and impact craters.
Dr. Matthew S. Huber · Iziko Planetarium, Cape Town
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Latest News
All News →
LinkedInAUG 05, 2026
Creative learning for 1,500+ participants
The impact.com Mandela Day Open Day at the Cape Town Science Centre, with every stage of levelling up in play.
InstagramJUN 14, 2026
The rover meets the black hole at the Science Centre
The SAPIENT.rocks rover at the Cape Town Science Centre space exhibit, with excited learners from Parklands College and AIMS.
MastodonMAY 18, 2026
Odyssey beaming back to Earth
A fun perspective from NASA Eyes on the Mars Relay Network.