On Sunday, NASA announced the opening of its $1 million Moon Base Student Challenge during a MAX POWER event at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. As part of a Golden Age of Science, the competition invites student teams at U.S. high schools and post-secondary schools to contribute designs for the Moon Base.
“We’re looking for students ready to think creatively, work as a team, and take on real problems connected to NASA’s future on the Moon,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “You do not have to wait until graduation to contribute. Curiosity, creativity, and the willingness to tackle hard problems without obvious answers are exactly the qualities we need as we build what comes next.”
NASA is building a Moon Base where astronauts will live, work, and explore at the lunar South Pole region. A permanent human presence on the Moon paves the way for future crewed missions to Mars and requires talent from various industries and backgrounds.
“As we build and design the foundations of Moon Base, we want to leverage all the ingenuity and innovation to think of every consideration our explorers might need to live and work there,” said Carlos García-Galán, manager, Moon Base Program. “Students bring exactly the bold ideas that we’re looking for, and I’m looking forward to their fresh perspective. Ultimately, Moon Base is for them, people who will experience a world where humans are on the Moon to stay.”
The multiphase challenge supports NASA’s commitment to cultivating the technical skills of tomorrow’s aerospace workforce. For this challenge, student teams will design innovative solutions for Moon Base across six categories: power generation and storage, construction, life-support systems, surface mobility, communications networks, and astronaut safety. The challenge gives participants an opportunity to develop necessary skills for careers in the space industry while helping advance new concepts for Moon Base technologies.
Participants are required to register for the challenge through the NASA STEM Gateway. Registration is open until Jan. 25, 2027.
“Students are the next generation of explorers and innovators. Their unique perspectives are key to helping us envision a future away from Earth, and I’m excited to see the creativity and ingenuity spurred by this challenge,” said Elaine Ho, associate administrator for the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Headquarters.
The Moon Base Student Challenge addresses authentic environmental and mission design parameters for life and operations on the lunar surface. The deliverables reflect industry skills – such as trade studies, concept proposals, and stakeholder briefings – allowing participants across technical, vocational, and various academic tracks to build career-relevant skills without requiring prior specialized engineering or technical experience.
The Office of STEM Engagement designed the challenge in collaboration with the Moon Base Program. The Institute of Competition Sciences administers the challenge through a contract with the NASA Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation within the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate.
For complete competition details, eligibility requirements, and official rules, visit:
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George Alderman / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
george.a.alderman@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov
Nilufar Ramji / Kenna Pell
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov / kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov
Source: NASA