Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative

Student Teams to Help Fill the Inflatable Void with Latest Student Challenge   – NASA

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Student Teams to Help Fill the Inflatable Void with Latest Student Challenge   – NASA

This year will be a “BIG” year for several college and university teams as they research, design, and demonstrate novel inflatable systems configured for future lunar operations through a NASA-sponsored engineering competition. NASA’s Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Challenge asked student innovators to propose novel inflatable component and system concepts that could benefit future … Read more

University of Utah takes top honors in BIG Idea Lunar Forge Challenge  – NASA

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University of Utah takes top honors in BIG Idea Lunar Forge Challenge  – NASA

Through Artemis, NASA plans to conduct long-duration human and robotic missions on the lunar surface in preparation for future crewed exploration of Mars. Expanding exploration capabilities requires a robust lunar infrastructure, including practical and cost-effective ways to construct a lunar base. One method is employing in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) – or the ability to use … Read more

NASA Invites Stakeholders to Space Tech LIFT-1 Industry Day

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NASA Invites Stakeholders to Space Tech LIFT-1 Industry Day

NASA is hosting a virtual industry forum on Nov. 13, 2023, to introduce the agency’s Lunar Infrastructure Foundational Technologies (LIFT-1) demonstration Request for Information (RFI). At this event, representatives of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) will discuss the relevant Moon-to-Mars Objectives, STMD Envisioned Future Priorities (EFPs), and will answer questions from potential respondents interested in the RFI. … Read more

NASA Seeks Input for Future Lunar Surface Resource Utilization Demo

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NASA Seeks Input for Future Lunar Surface Resource Utilization Demo

As NASA ushers in an exciting era of long-term exploration on the Moon with Artemis, new strategies are being formulated to determine how technology, infrastructure, and operations will function together as a cohesive and cross-cutting system. As a sustained presence grows at the Moon, opportunities to harvest lunar resources could lead to safer, more efficient … Read more