NASA Announces $1 Million to Students for Moon Base Challenge

What happened

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.

Artist’s concept depicting astronauts, habitats, rovers (a vehicle that drives across another world’s surface), power systems, and cargo operations supporting sustained human activities at the Moon Base near the lunar South Pole. 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. The multiphase challenge provides support for NASA’s commitment to cultivating the technical skills of tomorrow’s aerospace workforce.

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.

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.