As NASA prepares to launch the first crewed mission to the Moon next year, it is also looking ahead to what the Artemis program will need to be the launchpad for our expansion into the solar system.
Artemis is a very complex and long-term effort, and will require a lot of research and development in several fields. To properly coordinate the efforts, the space agency has created a series of programs for each of them.
The Human Lander Challenge (HuLC) program is the one that will address the challenges posed by actually landing humans on the surface of the Moon. It was announced in 2023 and is intended to enlist the help of college and university students to find solutions to pressing problems.
In its first year, HuLC focused on generating ideas to solve the problem of lunar regolith ejected during human spacecraft landings. It concluded in early July with NASA awarding a number of promising ideas from students across the country.
This week, NASA announced what HuLC will focus on in its second year: creating “innovative solutions and technological developments for cryogenic liquid storage and transfer systems in space.”
Cryogenic fuel is what powers our space exploration efforts, but it is quite complicated to manage. Currently, the methods and technologies we use to keep the fuel cold enough only do so for several hours. For deep space exploration, including missions to the Moon, which will require long-term storage, the fuel will need to be kept cold for at least several months.
NASA is therefore inviting interested parties from U.S. colleges and universities to apply to the program and develop technologies and systems that could solve one of the following problems:
- Cryogenic transfer of propellant into orbit
- Mass monitoring in cryogenic microgravity
- Radiative insulation over large areas
- Advanced structural supports for heat reduction
- Automated cryocouplers for propellant transfer
- Low loss cryogenic components
Applications for the program are now open and teams must submit a non-binding Notice of Intent by October 6. A package of proposals from interested parties is expected by March 3, 2025.
NASA will select 12 finalist teams that will receive a $9,250 stipend to pitch their ideas. Each will then pitch to a panel of NASA and industry judges in June 2025 at the HuLC 2025 Forum in Huntsville, Alabama.
Only three winning projects will be selected, each of which will share a cash prize of $18,000. There is no guarantee, of course, that any of these ideas will actually be adopted by NASA, but there is always the possibility that something revolutionary could come of them.
If you think you and your team have something to contribute, you can enter the contest by following this link.