NASA has selected 12 student teams for the 2025 Human Lander Challenge, tasking them with developing innovative solutions for storing and transferring super-cold liquid propellants. These technologies are crucial for future long-duration space missions, including those to the Moon under the Artemis program and eventually to Mars.
The challenge focuses on cryogenic fluids like liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, which require extremely low temperatures to remain in a liquid state. Current technology allows for short-term storage, but future missions demand systems capable of functioning for extended periods.
Each finalist team has received a $9,250 stipend to develop their concepts. They will present their work at the Human Lander Competition Forum in Huntsville, Alabama, in June 2025. The top three teams will share an $18,000 prize.
The Human Lander Challenge is sponsored by NASA's Human Landing System Program and managed by the National Institute of Aerospace. The initiative aims to foster collaboration between academic research and practical application, preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists for future breakthroughs in spaceflight.