NASA is pioneering the future of space exploration as we extend humanity’s presence further into the solar system. The 2025 RASC-AL Competition is seeking undergraduate and graduate teams to develop new concepts that leverage innovation to improve our ability to operate on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. This year’s themes range from developing large-scale lunar surface architectures enabling long-term off-world habitation, to designing new systems that address objective characteristics and needs and leverage human scale exploration infrastructure for new science paradigms. Each team’s response should address novel and robust technologies, capabilities, and operational models to support expanding humanity’s ability to thrive beyond Earth. In this year’s RASC-AL Competition, teams and their faculty advisors are invited to design and propose innovative solutions with supporting original engineering and analysis in response to one of the following three themes:
- Sustained Lunar Evolution – An Inspirational Moment: Design a scalable lunar infrastructure and services architecture that harnesses space logistics, ISAM (in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing), and ISRU (in-situ resource utilization) to ensure permanent presence of a rotating crew of human and robotic explorers at the lunar South Pole.
- Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign: Design either a science or technology demonstration mission concept that leverages human-scale launch, transportation, entry, and landing capabilities at Mars.
- Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot: Design a servicing and maintenance robot of less than 500 kg for use on the lunar surface to supplement crew time performing tasks such as connecting umbilicals, swapping payloads, inspecting systems, and monitoring the lunar environment.
Awards:- $104,000
Deadline:- 25-02-2025
