2026 Finalist Teams

Archives by Year:

2026 Finalist Teams

This page is an archive of the technical papers, posters and presentations from NASA’s 2026 HuLC Competition.
The 2026 HuLC Forum was held June 23-25, 2026 in Huntsville, Alabama.

2026 Theme: Long Duration Spaceflight Environmental Control Life Support System (ECLSS)

As human exploration pushes beyond low Earth orbit toward sustained lunar presence and future missions to Mars, the role of Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) becomes increasingly vital. Designing ECLSS for deep space is uniquely challenging due to mission duration, limited resupply, and extreme environmental conditions.

Through the HuLC competition, NASA is engaging students for ideas to help achieve their lunar exploration goals (refer to NASA’s Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development and NASA’s Initial and Sustained Artemis Human Landing Systems). This year’s theme focuses on enhancing life support functionality through more efficient hardware, quieter habitats, safer water delivery, and improved resource sharing on planetary surfaces, while considering the integrated nature of ECLSS within future exploration architectures. The 2026 HuLC competition asks student teams to develop and propose innovative, systems-level solutions that improve critical aspects of Long Duration Spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) performance. 

2026 Finalist Teams

Click on each image to view the full project graphic. Graphics may take a moment to load.

CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN LUIS OBISPO

“Cryogenic Quick Connect (CQC)”

CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN LUIS OBISPO

“Modular Acoustic Suppression System (MASS)”

CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN LUIS OBISPO

“Peltier-based Hydration Accumulation Terminal (PHAT)”

EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY, DAYTONA BEACH

“Advanced Quality Orbital Rehydration Assembly (AQUORA)”

EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY, PRESCOTT

“Atmospheric Electrochemical Transformation for Habitat and Environmental Regeneration (AETHER)”

NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY

“Sensor Package for Internal Detection In Extraterrestrial Regions (SPIDER)”

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

“Enhanced Potable Water Dispenser (EPWD)”

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

“Microgravity Blood Infusion Pump”

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

“Acoustic Metamaterial Panel for Spacecraft Noise Suppression”

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

“Standardized Universal Lunar Fluid Interface (SULFi)”

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY

“Space Temperature Regulated Efficient Aqua Module (STREAM)”

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS

“Evaporator-Based Potable Water Dispenser (EBPWD) for Long-Duration Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS)”

FIRST PLACE WINNER

EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY, PRESCOTT

Project: “Electrical Capacitance to High-resolution Observation (ECHO)”
Advisors: Siwei Fan and Ron Madler

Forum Presentation | Presentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

SECOND PLACE WINNER

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY

Project: “Structural Tensegrity for Optimized Retention in Microgravity (STORM)”
Advisor: Colin Britcher

Forum Presentation | Presentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

THIRD PLACE WINNER

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Project: “THERMOS: Translunar Heat Rejection and Mixing for Orbital Sustainability”
Advisors: George Lordos, Olivier de Weck, and Jeffrey Hoffman

Forum Presentation | Presentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Project: “THERMOSPRING: Thermal Exchange Reduction Mechanism using Optimized SPRING
Advisor: Frank Chandler

Forum PresentationPresentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES

Project: “MAST: Modular Adaptive Support Technology”
Advisors: Jennifer Erickson, Janice Houston, Jeff Budny, Preston Lippert, Alexander Lampe, and Angel Abbud-Madrid

Forum PresentationPresentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY

Project: “Cryogenic Complex: Cryogenic Tanks and Storage Systems – On the Moon and Cislunar Orbit”
Advisors: Angela Masson, Brian Kopp, Reza Sarraf, and James Simak

Forum PresentationPresentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY

Project: “Cryogenic Fuel Storage and Transfer: The Human Interface – Monitoring and Mitigating Risks”
Advisors: Angela Masson, Brian Kopp, Reza Sarrah, and James Simak

Forum Presentation | Presentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Project: “Autonomous Magnetized Cryo-Couplers with Active Alignment Control for Propellant Transfer (AMCC-AAC)”
Advisor: John Horack

Forum PresentationPresentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

**AWARD: BEST PROTOTYPE**

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

Project: “Next-generation Cryogenic Transfer and Autonomous Refueling (NeCTAR)”
Advisor: John Connolly

Forum Presentation | Presentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY

Project: “Cryogenic Orbital Siphoning System (CROSS)”
Advisor: Mohammad Alabsi

Forum PresentationPresentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Project: “ECLIPSE: Efficient Cryogenic Low Invasive Propellant Supply Exchange”
Advisor: Vishwanath Ganesan

Forum PresentationPresentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

**AWARD: BEST PRESENTATION**

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY

Project: “CYPRESS (CrYogenic Performance REfueling Safety System) Coupler for Liquid Hydrogen Transfer”
Advisors: Jacob Leachman

Forum Presentation | Presentation Chart Deck | Technical Paper | Technical Poster

**AWARD: BEST POSTER**

2026 Judging Panel

Arthur Brown
Co-Chair, Judge

Zach Bryant
Co-Chair, Judge

Steven Balistreri
Judge

Chris Brown
Judge

Leon Chen
Judge

BettyLynn Mason
Judge

Kaitlin Oliver-Butler
Judge

2026 Media

Has your team been covered by any media throughout NASA’s 2026 HuLC Competition?
Send the information to HuLC@nianet.org for it to be added to the list below!

NASA Media Coverage

Other Media Coverage

Scroll to Top