NASA launched a $1 million student competition for lunar base designs on Sunday during an event at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Mirage News reported.
The agency wants high school and post-secondary teams in the United States to submit concepts for a permanent lunar south pole habitat. Participants can register through the NASA STEM Gateway until January 25, 2027.
The multiphase challenge covers six specific areas of lunar infrastructure. Student teams will tackle power generation and storage, construction, life-support systems, surface mobility, communications networks, and astronaut safety.
Deliverables include industry-standard materials like trade studies, concept proposals, and stakeholder briefings. NASA designed these requirements so participants across technical and vocational tracks can build career skills without needing prior specialized engineering experience.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman spoke about the agency’s expectations for the competing students during the launch event. 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,
Isaacman said, according to nasa.gov.
Agency officials view the permanent base as a stepping stone for future crewed missions to Mars. Carlos García-Galán, manager of the Moon Base Program, noted that student participants represent the generation that will actually use the facility, according to nasa.gov.
Ultimately, Moon Base is for them, people who will experience a world where humans are on the Moon to stay,
García-Galán said, as reported by nasa.gov.
The Office of STEM Engagement developed the competition alongside the Moon Base Program. Elaine Ho, associate administrator for the Office of STEM Engagement, highlighted the importance of fresh perspectives from younger innovators.
The Institute of Competition Sciences administers the contest through a contract with the NASA Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation. Complete rules and eligibility criteria remain available through official agency portals, including the competition website and the NASA STEM Gateway portal.
