NASA is asking students to help solve the problems that come with living on the Moon. Its newly announced $1 million Moon Base Student Challenge invites eligible U.S. high-school and post-secondary student teams to contribute design ideas.
The November 8 announcement gives students until January 25, 2027, to register through NASA STEM Gateway. The proposed Moon Base would support astronauts living, working and exploring near the lunar South Pole.
Artist’s concept of a future Moon Base near the lunar South Pole. Image credit: NASA.
Six ways to tackle life on the Moon
Student designs can address one of six categories:
- Power generation and storage
- Construction
- Life-support systems
- Surface mobility
- Communications networks
- Astronaut safety
There is room here for students interested in more than rockets. Keeping people safe, giving them power and helping them communicate are all part of making a lunar base work.
You can start without an engineering background
NASA says previous specialized engineering or technical experience is not required. The challenge is designed for students across technical, vocational and academic tracks.
The work involves concepts and proposals, with deliverables that reflect skills used in industry, including trade studies and stakeholder briefings. Students need to consider the actual conditions and mission requirements of operating on the lunar surface.
Check eligibility before forming a team
Start with the official rules and eligibility requirements, then follow the registration instructions. Review them with a teacher or adviser before putting a team together. This invitation does not mean every student or every college automatically qualifies.
NASA describes this as a $1 million challenge. Check the competition’s awards information and full rules for how prizes work, rather than assuming that amount goes to one entrant.
The date to put on the calendar first is January 25, 2027, the registration deadline.
