NASA Launches $1 Million Student Challenge to Design Lunar Base
NASA announced a $1 million competition for US students to design innovative aspects of the future lunar base at the Moon's south pole, fostering creativity and preparing the next generation for space careers.
NASA officially launched its Moon Base Student Challenge on November 8, 2026, a $1 million competition open to teams of high school and postsecondary students across the United States. The initiative was announced during the MAX POWER event at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
The competition invites young participants to submit innovative projects for the design of the lunar base NASA is building near the Moon’s south pole. This permanent base aims to enable astronauts to live, work, and explore sustainably on Earth’s natural satellite.
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, emphasized the importance of creativity, teamwork, and curiosity among participants. He stressed that students do not need to wait until after graduation to contribute to these ambitious projects.
Carlos García-Galán, head of the Moon Base program, explained that NASA seeks to leverage the ingenuity and bold ideas of students to design all aspects necessary for life and operations on the Moon. He views this lunar base as intended for future generations who will live in a world where humans are permanently settled on the Moon.
The challenge includes multiple phases and covers six key categories: energy production and storage, construction, life support systems, surface mobility, communication networks, and astronaut safety. Participants will have the opportunity to develop technical skills directly applicable to careers in the space industry.
Registrations are open until January 25, 2027, via the NASA STEM Gateway platform. Elaine Ho, Associate Administrator for STEM Engagement at NASA, reminded that students represent the next generation of explorers and innovators, and their unique perspectives are essential to envisioning a future beyond Earth.
This competition is part of a broader context in which NASA is preparing for a sustainable human presence on the Moon, a key step toward crewed missions to Mars. By involving young talent today, the US space agency is fostering innovation and training to meet the technical and human challenges of space exploration.
