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NASA\u2019s Human Lander Challenge, or HuLC, is now open and accepting submissions for its second year. As NASA aims to return astronauts to the Moon through its Artemis campaign in preparation for future missions to Mars, the agency is seeking ideas from college and university students for evolved supercold, or cryogenic, propellant applications for human landing systems.<\/p>\n
As part of the 2025 HuLC competition, teams will aim to develop innovative solutions and technology developments for in-space cryogenic liquid storage and transfer systems as part of future long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe HuLC competition represents a unique opportunity for Artemis Generation engineers and scientists to contribute to groundbreaking advancements in space technology,\u201d said Esther Lee, an aerospace engineer leading the navigation sensors technology assessment capability team at NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. \u201cNASA\u2019s Human Lander Challenge is more than just a competition \u2013 it is a collaborative effort to bridge the gap between academic innovation and practical space technology. By involving students in the early stages of technology development, NASA aims to foster a new generation of aerospace professionals and innovators.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through Artemis, NASAis working to send the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut to the Moon to establish long-term lunar exploration and science opportunities. Artemis astronauts will descend to the lunar surface in a commercial Human Landing System. The Human Landing System Program is managed by NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.<\/p>\n
Cryogenic, or super-chilled, propellants like liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are integral to NASA\u2019s future exploration and science efforts. The temperatures must stay extremely cold to maintain a liquid state. Current state-of-the-art systems can only keep these substances stable for a matter of hours, which makes long-term storage particularly problematic. For NASA\u2019s HLS mission architecture, extending storage duration from hours to several months will help ensure mission success.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASA\u2019s cryogenics work for HLS focuses on several key development areas, many of which we are asking proposing teams to address,\u201d said Juan Valenzuela, a HuLC technical advisor and aerospace engineer specializing in cryogenic fuel management at NASA Marshall. \u201cBy focusing research in these key areas, we can explore new avenues to mature advanced cryogenic fluid technologies and discover new approaches to understand and mitigate potential problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Interested teams from U.S.-based colleges and universities should submit a non-binding Notice of Intent (NOI) by Oct. 6, 2024, and submit a proposal package by March 3, 2025. Based on proposal package evaluations, up to 12 finalist teams will be selected to receive a $9,250 stipend to further develop and present their concepts to a panel of NASA and industry judges at the 2025 HuLC Forum in Huntsville, Alabama, near NASA Marshall, in June 2025. The top three placing teams will share a prize purse of $18,000.<\/p>\n
Teams\u2019 potential solutions should focus on one of the following categories: On-Orbit Cryogenic Propellant Transfer, Microgravity Mass Tracking of Cryogenics, Large Surface Area Radiative Insulation, Advanced Structural Supports for Heat Reduction, Automated Cryo-Couplers for Propellant Transfer, or Low Leakage Cryogenic Components.<\/p>\n
NASA\u2019s Human Lander Challenge is sponsored by the Human Landing System Program within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and managed by the National Institute of Aerospace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For more information on NASA\u2019s 2025 Human Lander Challenge, including how to participate, visit the HuLC Website.<\/p>\n