Congratulations to the 2025 HuLC Competition Finalists!

  • California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, “THERMOSPRING: Thermal Exchange Reduction Mechanism using Optimized SPRING”
  • Colorado School of Mines, “MAST: Modular Adaptive Support Technology”
  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, “Electrical Capacitance to High-resolution Observation (ECHO)”
  • Jacksonville University, “Cryogenic Complex: Cryogenic Tanks and Storage Systems – On the Moon and Cislunar Orbit”
  • Jacksonville University, “Cryogenic Fuel Storage and Transfer: The Human Interface – Monitoring and Mitigating Risks”
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “THERMOS: Translunar HEat Rejection and Mixing for Orbital Sustainability”
  • Ohio State University, “Autonomous Magnetized Cryo-Couplers with Active Alignment Control for Propellant Transfer (AMCC-AAC)”
  • Old Dominion University, “Structural Tensegrity for Optimized Retention in Microgravity (STORM)”
  • Texas A&M University, “Next-generation Cryogenic Transfer and Autonomous Refueling (NeCTAR)”
  • The College of New Jersey, “Cryogenic Orbital Siphoning System (CROSS)”
  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, “ECLIPSE: Efficient Cryogenic Low Invasive Propellant Supply Exchange”
  • Washington State University, “CYPRESS (CrYogenic Performance REfueling Safety System) Coupler for Liquid Hydrogen Transfer”

NASA’s Human Lander Challenge (HuLC) is an initiative supporting NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate’s (ESDMD’s) efforts to explore innovative solutions for a variety of known HLS challenge areas. Through this competition, college students become important partners in NASA’s advancement of HLS technologies, concepts, and approaches. Improvements in these technology areas have the potential to revolutionize NASA’s approach to space exploration, and contributions from the academic community are a valuable part of the journey to discovery. HuLC is open to undergraduate and graduate students at accredited colleges and universities in the United States. Minority Serving Institutions are encouraged to apply. HuLC projects allow students to incorporate their coursework into real aerospace design concepts and work together in a team environment. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.

In-space propulsion systems utilizing cryogenic liquids as propellants are necessary to achieve NASA’s exploration missions to the Moon, and later to Mars. In current state of the art (SOA) human scale, in-space propulsion vehicles, cryogenic liquids can be stored for several hours. In order for the planned HLS mission architecture to close, cryogenic liquids must be stored on-orbit on the order of several months.

The 2025 Human Lander Challenge asks teams of students and their faculty advisors to design innovative solutions and technology developments addressing in-space cryogenic liquid storage and transfer systems for long duration NASA missions to the Moon.

Teams are invited to develop innovative, systems-level solutions to understand, mitigate potential problems, and mature advanced cryogenic fluid technologies that can be implemented within 3-5 years.

NASA’s 2025 Human Lander Challenge

NASA’s Human Lander Challenge (HuLC) is an initiative supporting NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate’s (ESDMD’s) efforts to explore innovative solutions for a variety of known HLS challenge areas. Through this competition, college students become important partners in NASA’s advancement of HLS technologies, concepts, and approaches. Improvements in these technology areas have the potential to revolutionize NASA’s approach to space exploration, and contributions from the academic community are a valuable part of the journey to discovery. HuLC is open to undergraduate and graduate students at accredited colleges and universities in the United States. Minority Serving Institutions are encouraged to apply. HuLC projects allow students to incorporate their coursework into real aerospace design concepts and work together in a team environment. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.

Congratulations to our 2024 HuLC Competition Winners

First Place Overall:
University of Michigan

Second Place Overall: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Third Place Overall:
University of Colorado, Boulder

Challenge Updates & News

Challenge Announcement

Read NASA’s feature story announcing the HuLC competition.

Interested in Competing?

Review the Challenge Guidelines for more details and find out how to apply.

Join the Q&A Session

A Question & Answer Session for interested teams is scheduled for November 8, 2:00-3:30 p.m. EST.  Submit a question by Noon on October 31.

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