High school and postsecondary teams can enter six technical categories without prior specialized engineering experience, with registration closing on January 25, 2027
NASA’s artist’s concept depicts astronauts, habitats, rovers and infrastructure supporting sustained activity near the lunar South Pole. Credit: NASA.
NASA has opened its $1 million Moon Base Student Challenge to teams at US high schools and postsecondary institutions, inviting designs for the systems astronauts would need to live and work near the lunar South Pole.
The competition covers six areas, from power generation to astronaut safety. Teams must register through NASA STEM Gateway by January 25, 2027, before submitting their initial concept papers by February 22.
Participants can come from technical, vocational and other academic pathways. NASA says prior specialized engineering or technical experience is not required.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says: “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.”
The agency announced the competition on November 8 during a MAX POWER event at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
Six design areas cover life and work on the Moon
Teams will choose from power generation and storage, habitat construction, life-support systems, surface mobility, communication networks and astronaut safety.
Proposals can address how to generate and distribute energy, construct habitats, maintain air and water systems, move people and cargo across lunar terrain, connect equipment and astronauts with Earth, or manage hazards.
The designs must respond to conditions on the lunar surface. Initial submissions will explain how each concept operates and withstands environmental challenges, including extreme temperatures and lunar dust.
NASA is developing its Moon Base as a place for astronauts to live, work and explore, with facilities supporting research, technology testing and preparations for future crewed missions to Mars.
The student challenge is intended to connect that work with aerospace career preparation. Its deliverables include concept proposals, trade studies and stakeholder briefings, giving teams experience with tasks used in industry.
Two phases take teams from concept paper to recorded pitch
During the Project Phase, teams will develop an early concept in one of the six categories and attend live webinars with NASA experts.
Their Concept Overview Paper must explain the proposed solution, address lunar operating conditions and include a visual diagram.
Up to 100 teams across all categories and divisions will be selected as finalists, receive monetary awards and advance to the Final Phase.
Finalists will refine their designs and submit a recorded pitch video with a presentation slide deck. These submissions will explain how the solution works, how it would be deployed on the Moon and how the team addressed technical challenges.
Teams will also highlight the technical skills developed during the project. NASA leaders and space industry judges will assess the final concepts, with national awards available across the High School and Post-Secondary divisions.
The challenge was developed by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement with the Moon Base Program. The Institute of Competition Sciences administers it for the agency.
Registration closes January 25
A virtual Opening Symposium on December 3, 2026 will introduce the technical categories. Office hours webinars on January 14 and February 11, 2027 will provide technical guidance for registered teams.
Registration closes on January 25, followed by the Project Phase submission deadline on February 22.
Finalists will be announced on March 11, with a Final Phase kickoff webinar on March 15. Recorded pitch videos and slide decks are due on April 19.
Grand Prize and Runner-Up winners will be announced at the Closing Symposium on May 6, 2027.
ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 open for entries
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 are now open for entries, with 26 categories recognising companies, institutions, projects and individuals making a measurable impact across education technology. The global awards span AI in education, digital learning, higher education, skills and workforce, inclusion, education operations, evidence and impact, with entries managed through ETIH’s new online awards platform.
Entries are open worldwide, with the early-bird deadline on Friday 18 December 2026 and the final entry deadline on Friday 26 February 2027 at 23:59 UK time.
Explore the 2027 categories and judging criteria, read the How to Enter guide or start an entry through the ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 platform.
