Resources

Below are some resources that may be helpful as you prepare your HuLC deliverables. We encourage teams to utilize the NASA research tools when developing their projects, and to pay special attention to the resources on how to give professional and effective presentations prior to the Forum.

NEW: 2025 HuLC Competition Cryogenics Theme Context with Juan Valenzuela

Added 10/04/24: In this video, Subject-Matter Expert (SME) and 2025 HuLC Judges’ Chair Juan Valenzuela of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center explains this year’s HuLC Theme and provides context for proposing teams. Juan will explain why cryogenics is important to NASA, the Agency’s Human Landing System (HLS) Development, and to human space exploration. Proposing teams are encouraged to watch this video to learn more about NASA’s cryogenics definition and applications, its uses specific to Starship and Blue Moon, and challenges with its use.

Proposal Package

Technical Paper

Presentation

Poster Session

Human Health

Orbital Mechanics

Logos

Cost Estimates

Project Management /
Systems Engineering

Software

Technical Reports /
Data Searching

RECOMMENDED READING

New Resources for 2025

(Added 11/8/24): NASA CR-172061 “Spacecraft Mass Estimation, Relationships and Engine Data: Task 1.1 of the Lunar Base Systems Study”
(Added 11/8/24): “Lunar Human Landing System Architecture Tradespace Modeling” (Kir Latyshev, Nicola Garzaniti, Edward Crawley, Alessandro Golkar – 2021, Paper)
(Added 11/8/24): NASA’s Human Landing System: Attachment F, HLS-RQMT-001
(Added 11/8/24): “Standard: Space Systems—Metallic Pressure Vessels, Pressurized Structures, and Pressure Components” (Reaffirmed 2024, Paper)
(Added 11/8/24): National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Thermophysical Properties of Fluid Systems
(Added 11/8/24): Standard: Mass Properties Control for Space Systems (ANSI/AIAA S-120A-2015(2019))
(Added 11/8/24):
(Added 10/30/24): “TRL Unicorn Chart” (Unofficial but fun way of understanding TRLs)
(Added 8/21/24): “Propulsion and Human Landing Systems: Marshall Space Flight Center’s Expertise” (Reid Ruggles – 2024 Presentation)
(Added 8/21/24): “Lessons Learned in Hydrogen System Operation” (Wesley Johnson – 2023, Presentation)
(Added 8/21/24): “Use of Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) for Teaching and Performing Senior Design Projects at Educational Institutions” (Alok Majumdar, Ali Hedayat – 2015, Presentation)
(Added 8/21/24): “Cryogenic Hydrogen Oxygen Propulsion System for Planetary Science Missions” (Shuvo Mustafi, Lloyd Purves, Conor Nixon, Alber Douglawi, Ali Hedayat, Steven Simpson – 2020, Poster)
(Added 8/21/24): “Some General Principles in Cryogenic Design, Implementation, and Testing” (Michael J. DiPirro – 2015, Presentation)
(Added 8/21/24): “Distributed Launch – Enabling Beyond LEO Missions,” (Bernard Kutter , Eric Monda, Chauncey Wenner – 2015, Paper)
(Added 8/21/24): “Cryogenic Fluid Management Technology Development Roadmaps,” (Jonathan R. Stephens, Wesley L. Johnson – 2017, Presentation)
“Cryogenic Fluid Management Technology Development Roadmaps,” (J. R. Stephens and W. L. Johnson – 2018, Paper)
“Cryogenic Fluid Management for the Artemis Program and Beyond,” (Hans Hansen, Wesley Johnson, Michael Meyer, Arthur Werkheiser, Jonathan Stephens – 2020, Presentation)
“Cryogenic Fluid Management Technologies Enabling for the Artemis Program and Beyond,” (Hans Hansen, Wesley Johnson, Michael Meyer, Arthur Werkheiser, Jonathan Stephens – 2020, Paper)
“Cryogenic Fluid Management Technology for Moon and Mars Missions,” (Michael P. Doherty, Joseph D. Gaby, Louis J. Salerno, Steven G. Sutherlin – 2010, Paper)
NASA’s “Human Landing System HLS-UG-001 Lunar Thermal Analysis Guidebook“

___

General

Note: The following resource sections may be helpful to proposers, but do not necessarily relate to the 2025 Challenge.

(Added 11/8/24) NASA Technology Readiness Assessment Best Practices Guide
(Added 11/8/24) NASA Technology Readiness Levels
(Added 11/8/24) “Technology Readiness Level (TRL) as the foundation of Human Readiness Level (HRL),” Authors: George Salazar & M. Natalia Russi-Vigoya
“Understanding and Mitigating Plume Effects During Powered Descents on the Moon and Mars,” A White Paper submitted to the Planetary Science Decadal Survey 2023-2032
Dust: An Out-of-This World Problem
“Plume-Surface Interactions due to Spacecraft Landings and The Discovery of Water on Mars,” Author: Manish Mehta, PhD dissertation, The University of Michigan, 2010.
The Science of Plume Effects, University of Central Florida
“Cratering and Blowing Soil by Rocket Engines during Lunar Landings,” Authors: Philip T. Metzger, John E. Lane, Christopher D. Immer, and Sandra Clements, International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, August 2008
“Phenomenology of soil erosion due to rocket exhaust on the Moon and the Mauna Kea lunar test site,” Authors: Philip T. Metzger, Jacob Smith, and John E. Lane, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 116, E06005, June 2011 [Added 4/20/23]
Plume-Surface Interaction: Maturing Predictive Environments for Propulsive Landing on the Moon and Mars
Investigating Plume Surface Interaction (PSI) Effects on The Lunar Surface
“Ensuring Economically Viable Lunar Settlements” – AIAA ASCEND
“Exploration Frontiers: NASA’s Moon to Mars Campaign Strategy”
“Sustained Lunar Logistics Overview”
SLS-SPEC-159 NASA Cross-Program Design Specification for Natural Environments (DSNE) Revision G (2019, Dec 11)
NASA’s Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development
NASA Technology Readiness Level Definitions
Exploration EVA System Concept of Operations Summary for Artemis Phase 1 Lunar Surface Mission
“Building an Economical and Sustainable Lunar Infrastructure to Enable Human Lunar Missions”
“NASA’s Moon to Mars Strategy and Objectives Development” [Added 4/11/23]
“The Artemis Plan: NASA’s Lunar Exploration Program Overview, September 2020”
Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022
NASA Space Technology Roadmap from the Office of Chief Technologist
Human Spaceflight: Mission Analysis and Design Handbook (Space Technology Series); Authors: Wiley J. Larson, Linda K. Pranke
The Lunar Base Handbook: An Introduction to Lunar Base Design, Development, and Operations (Space Technology Series); Author: Peter Eckart
Archived Presentations from the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts – Fellows Meetings
Basics of Space Flight – From JPL

Modeling

Scott, R. F. and KO, H. Y., “Transient Rocket-Engine Gas Flow in Soil,” AIAAJ, Volume 6, Number 2, February 1968
Marichalar, J., Prisbell, A., Lumpkin, F., LeBeau, G., “Study of Plume Impingement Effects in the Lunar Lander Environment,” NASA, 2010
Morris, A. B.; Goldstein, D. ; Varghese, P. L. ; Trafton, L. M., “Plume Impingement on a Dusty Lunar Surface,” 27^th International Symposium on Rarefied Gas Dynamics, AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1333, pp. 1187-1192 (2011).
Mehta, Manish, “Rocket Plume Interactions for NASA Landing Systems,” NASA presentation, 2019
Carly M. Donohue, Philip T. Metzger, and Christopher D. Immer, “Empirical Scaling Laws of Rocket Exhaust Cratering,” 56th International Astronautical Congress, October 17-21, 2005, Fukuoka, Japan

Lunar Dust and Regolith

Leslie S. Gertsch, Jamal Rostami, and Robert Gustafson, “Review of Lunar Regolith Properties for Design of Low Power Lunar Excavators,” International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, August 2008
Eberhard Grun, Mihaly Horanyi, and Zoltan Sternovsky, “The lunar dust environment,” Planetary and Space Science, Volume 59, Issue 14, November 2011, Pages 1672-1680
Joshua E. Colwell; Scott R. Robertson; Mihály Horányi; Xu Wang; Andrew Poppe; and Patrick Wheeler, “Lunar Dust Levitation,” Journal of Aerospace Engineering, Vol. 22, Issue 1 (January 2009)
Lunar mare simulant Black Point One (BP-1)
B. Stoeser, D.L. Rickman, S. Wilson, “Preliminary Geological Findings on the BP-1 Simulant,” NASA/TM-2010-216444

Ground Testing

Norman S. Land and Harland F. Scholl, “Scaled Lunar Module Jet Erosion Experiments,” NASA-TN-D-5051
Miguel X. Diaz Lopez, Matthew Gorman, Juan S. Rubio, and Rui Ni, “Plume-Surface Interaction Physics Focused Ground Test 1: Diagnostics and Preliminary Results,” AIAA 2022-1810

Videos

Apollo 11 Moon landing reconstructed using orbiter imagery

Wesley Chambers
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Dr. Wesley Chambers is a physicist working at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. His research interests include planetary surface environments and the gas-granular physics of rocket plume-surface interactions. He is Deputy Principal Investigator for the Plume-Surface Interaction Project, Principal Technologist for Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS), a plume-surface interaction flight instrument, and a member of the Human Landing System Natural Environments team. Wesley earned an A.A. from Seminole State College of Florida and a B.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Central Florida.

Lora Dishongh
Booz Allen Hamilton

Born and raised in rural Indiana, Lora Dishongh was invited to the University of Houston as a National Merit Scholar. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, before joining the US Navy to serve as an instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command. After one tour of duty, she returned to the Houston area to pursue a career at the Johnson Space Center. Lora has worked in various project and systems engineering roles in the twenty years since. She has built hardware for biological monitoring and exercise activities aboard the International Space Station, written test requirements and performed integration activities for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, and led teams of various sizes with far-flung membership. Lora currently works for Booz Allen Hamilton, and serves NASA’s Lunar Architecture Team as the Artemis IV Surface Planning Analysis Lead and curator of the publicly-released Lunar Surface Data Book.

Mark Lewis
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Mark Lewis received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cleveland State University. Mr. Lewis is a systems engineer at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and has over 30 years of experience at NASA working on numerous research and spaceflight projects at Glenn Research Center (GRC) and at KSC. He has research experience in the development of damage detection and health management systems, and various types of gas sensors for use in launch system operations, spaceflight experiments, and biomedical applications. His flight hardware development experience includes satellite servicing and microgravity physical science experiments. Mr. Lewis is listed as an inventor on seven patents and received the NASA Silver Achievement Medal in 2018.

Manish Mehta
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Dr. Manish Mehta is a subject matter expert within the Aerosciences Branch at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. His main area of focus is aerothermodynamics, base aerodynamics and gas-granular flow physics and has been working in these disciplines for the last 20 years. Dr. Mehta has worked multiple technical disciplines within aerosciences for the Space Launch System (SLS) Program and currently is the induced environment disciple lead engineer for the Human Landing System (HLS) Program. He received his doctorate in engineering from the University of Michigan in 2010.

Philip Metzger
University of Central Florida

Dr. Philip Metzger is a planetary scientist and the director of the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education at the University of Central Florida. He worked at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for about 30 years, where he co-founded the KSC Swamp Works. He performs research related to solar system exploration: lunar mining, soil mechanics, rocket exhaust interactions with planetary surfaces, etc. He received the astronaut’s Silver Snoopy award in 2010, was selected as the Kennedy Space Center’s NASA Scientist/Engineer of the Year for 2011, received the ASCE Aerospace Division’s Outstanding Technical Contribution Award for 2016, and became a NASA NIAC Fellow in 2020. In 2021, The International Astronomical Union (IAU) named asteroid 36329 Philmetzger (2000 LU35) after him, citing his research into rocket exhaust blowing soil and efforts to protect the Apollo heritage sites from those effects.

Michelle Munk
NASA’s Langley Research Center

Michelle Munk has been serving as the Chief Architect within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) since May 2022. In this role, Mrs. Munk is responsible for creating technology infusion paths to science and human exploration missions, and commercial industry. She works with NASA’s System Capability Leads and STMD Principal Technologists to identify gaps and investment strategies, and to prioritize investments across STMD’s capability areas. Mrs. Munk has over 30 years of experience in Entry, Descent and Landing flight hardware development and technology management from four different NASA centers. Mrs. Munk holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech and is an AIAA Associate Fellow.

Samantha Harris
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Samantha “Sam” Harris spent her childhood in Cincinnati, Ohio before moving to Alabama to pursue an undergraduate degree in Industrial and Systems engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. As an undergrad, she happened upon a Pathways Internship with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center that eventually led to her first job chatting with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. While working various roles in flight control and ground team training for the ISS program, she earned a Master’s degree in Engineering Management. Since leaving the ISS program, she has served in project management functions for a variety of space technology development projects including green propulsion, deployable in-space power generation, Cryogenic Fluid Management and Plume Surface Interaction.

Matt Simon
NASA’s Langley Research Center

Dr. Matthew Simon currently serves as the Capabilities Integration Lead within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), where he supports ongoing NASA work to define technology needs for human lunar and Mars exploration missions. In addition to these roles, Dr. Simon has supported multiple other NASA projects on spacecraft design, habitation, medical capability development, radiation shelter design, strategic decision analysis, and technology portfolio characterization. He has an interest in progressing towards human settlement of space through the development of innovative concepts with large potential to enable future human exploration missions and improve the quality of life here on Earth. He received his Ph. D. in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech in May 2016 with his thesis on automated spacecraft interior layout evaluation and design.

Ashley Korzun
NASA’s Langley Research Center

Dr. Ashley Korzun is an Aerospace Engineer at NASA Langley Research Center and Principal Investigator for NASA’s Plume‐Surface Interaction ground testing and capability development. Her primary specialization is in entry, descent, and landing aerosciences and systems, with an emphasis on technology development for propulsive descent and landing on the Earth, Moon, and Mars. Dr. Korzun has served as the Aerodynamics Lead for the successful InSight Mars lander mission and the LOFTID technology demonstration mission. She holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech.

Juan Valenzuela
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Juan Valenzuela received his B.S and M.S in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. He has been an aerospace engineer for NASA since 2012. During his 12 years at NASA, he has served as vacuum chamber test engineer, cryogenic fluids analyst and cryogenic fluid management product lead, responsible for the technology development of in-space cryogenic hardware. He currently serves as the Human Landing Systems (HLS) main propulsion systems (MPS) sub-system lead, responsible for overseeing insight on non-main engine propulsion systems of the next lunar landers.

Mark Wollen
Innovative Engineering Solutions

Mark Wollen graduated from CWRU with MS/BS degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 1980/82. After an early period at General Dynamics in San Diego, working Atlas/Centaur evolution, National Aero Space Plane (NASP), and other advanced space programs, he went on to co-found Innovative Engineering Solutions (currently serving as the Chief Technical Officer), and has spent most of his career working as a consultant on cryogenic propellant management techniques for space launch vehicles. Recognized areas of expertise include: cryogenics and low/zero gravity fluid mechanics, free surface flows, propellant tank thermodynamics, cryogenic propulsion systems, and testing techniques and specialized instrumentation for these topics. Over the last 40+ years Mr. Wollen has contributed to various design and development activities for most of the liquid propellant launch vehicle systems currently in use in the United States.

Reid Ruggles
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Reid Ruggles is the NASA HLS Propulsion Discipline Lead Engineer, leading the NASA propulsion engineering team in evaluating both SpaceX’s HLS Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon propulsion system designs and procedures to safely land the next American astronauts on the lunar surface and establish a sustained presence on the Moon. The HLS Propulsion Team includes main engines, main propulsion systems / cryogenic fluid management, reaction and attitude control systems, gas storage and generation systems, and all supporting lines, valves, and other components. Reid received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Alabama and his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech. Prior to joining the HLS team in 2022, Reid supported NASA’s Commercial Crew Program as a Main Propulsion Systems Engineer for Falcon 9 and Atlas V and served as the CCP Deputy Lead Engineer for Falcon 9. He directly supported the return of human launch capability to the United States with SpaceX’s DM-2 mission, as well as certification, maintenance, and flight operations of reused Falcon 9 first stage boosters starting with the Crew-2 mission.

Ali Kashani
MEI Company

Dr. Ali Kashani has over 40 years of experience in thermal sciences. His work includes research and development of reduced and zero boil-off propellant systems, pulse tube cryocoolers, low-temperature regenerators, magnetic and helium dilution refrigerators. He is currently supporting the development of cryogenic technologies for NASA’s Human Landing Systems. He has worked on several NASA flight projects: Starling, VIPER, SHOOT, GP-B, SOFIA, BioSentinel, Astrobee, and Astro-H. He is a member of NASA Engineering & Safety Center Technical Discipline Team for cryogenics!

Wesley Johnson
NASA’s Glenn Research Center

Wesley Johnson received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Auburn University in 2007 and a master’s degree from the University of Central Florida in 2010. Mr. Johnson began his career at NASA Kennedy Space Center as a Cooperative Education Student in 2004 working in the Cryogenics Test Laboratory where he spent over nine years developing advanced cryogenic technologies as well as trouble shooting problems on the Space Shuttle. He moved to NASA Glenn Research Center in 2014 to continue his research in cryogenic fluid management where he is the Cryogenics Team Lead in the Fluid and Cryogenic Systems Branch. His current research interests include thermal characterization of insulations as systems as well as collaboration with multiple projects focusing on cryogenic fluid system design, analysis, and testing. He was the Principle Investigator for the large scale liquid hydrogen testing effort: the Structural Heat Intercept, Insulation, and Vibration Evaluation Rig (SHIIVER) and the oxygen liquefaction demonstration Cryogenic Fluid In-situ Liquefaction for Landers (CryoFILL).

Ali Hedayat
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Ali Hedayat has over 34 years of experience of governmental and industrial experience in development of thermal/fluid modeling, design, and testing of propulsion systems. He Joined NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in 2002. He is the Lead for the In-Space Propulsion Systems Modeling Team in the Spacecraft and Vehicle Propulsion Branch at NASA MSFC. He has provided technical leadership, guidance, and mentoring to the team members on development of new technology and analysis tools for in-house and Industry projects. His areas of interest include thermal/fluid modeling of cryogenic fluid management and main propulsion systems. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Michael Dipirro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Michael Dipirro joined NASA/ Goddard Space Flight Center in 1980 after receiving a PhD in Low Temperature Physics and serving one year as a post-doc at NIST in Gaithersburg. He has worked on a number of NASA’s cryogenic astrophysics missions including the Cosmic Background Explorer (1980-1990), Spitzer Space Telescope (1985-2003), and James Webb Space Telescope (2006-2021). In between he was the Principal Investigator for the Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer Flight Demonstration (1984-1993) which successfully demonstrated the microgravity transfer of liquid helium in the superfluid state. He also has several patents on low temperature technology as well as over 100 published papers on the subject.

Helpful Tips

Prototypes: Although not required, Finalist Teams are encouraged to design, build, and demonstrate capability demonstrations of their concept to present on-site at the Forum.

Shipping Your Prototype: If your team plans to ship your prototype to the hotel, your shipment must abide by the following:
- Deliveries should be made to the following address: Huntsville Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center, Attn: Team POC, 5 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, AL 35805
- The Marriott charges a storage/handling fee for packages shipped to the hotel. Charges are the responsibility of each team and will be added to the room charges of the individual noted above. The fees are as follows: $75 for packages 50+ lbs., per package, per day; $150 for packages 100+ lbs., per package, per day
- Teams are responsible for making all their own shipping arrangements.
- The hotel does not accept freight deliveries or deliveries on pallets. Attempts to deliver packages via freight or on a pallet will be rejected and returned to sender.
- The hotel does not accept packages that require them to pay shipping costs.
- Deliveries in Huntsville can be limited on weekends. Please take this into account when requesting delivery.
- Neither the hotel, NIA, or NASA is responsible for shipping costs, damage or loss of packages.

On-site Forum Information: We are excited to see you in-person for the HuLC Forum! As a reminder, there is no virtual option to participate in the Forum, and it is closed to the public. We ask that you instead invite your friends and family to watch your presentation via the Vimeo livestream link. We will provide you with the link closer to the event.

Check-In (Monday, June 24, 2024)
- On-site check-in for the HuLC Forum will take place in the Grand Ballroom Pre-Function at the Huntsville Marriott. Join us for check-in and an ongoing networking activity from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
- Teams should also plan to set up their poster during this time as well.

Forum Presentations
- Each team has been allotted 45 minutes on the agenda. Team presentations are limited to a maximum of 25 minutes, followed by 20 minutes of Q&A from the judges.
- Teams may choose who delivers the presentation. However, we encourage all team members to stand together at the front of the room during the presentation to be available to answer questions, even if they are not presenting.

Forum Poster Sessions
- The HuLC Forum includes two poster sessions, scheduled at the end of each presentation day. Only teams who presented earlier that same day will be allowed (and required) to present their poster on that given day.
- All posters should be set up on Monday, June 24 during check-in, so that participants and judges can view them throughout the Forum.
- A 36” x 48” tri-fold poster board, thumb tacks, and double-sided tape will be available for each team for use. Please bring your 36” x 48” poster to attach to the tri-fold boards.

Forum COVID-19 Policy

2024 HuLC Competition Forum COVID Policy as of April 5, 2022

NOTE: Participants must abide by the COVID Policy in place at the time of the event.

In accordance with guidance and metrics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as revised policies of the National Institute of Aerospace and NASA, the following COVID-19 Policy is in effect for the 2024 HuLC Competition Forum for all attendees, as of April 5, 2022:

Masks are not required for participation in this event, but are encouraged when practical. The decision to wear a mask is a personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk and comfort. Individual choices should be respected.
Participants are asked to stay home and get tested if showing any COVID-19 related symptoms. Tests are available at most pharmacies. Free COVID-19 tests can be ordered in advance at covidtests.gov or may be available through your insurance provider. Symptoms may include:
- Cough
- Extreme Fatigue
- Congestion
- Runny Nose
- Body Aches and Pains
- Scratchy or Sore Throat
- Loss of Taste or Smell
- Fever or Chills
Program staff will have a temperature gun available for participants to take their temperature if they are not feeling well. If any participant has a fever of more than 100.3, they will not be permitted to attend HuLC Competition Forumevents.
Participants in the HuLC Competition Forum are encouraged to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccines (i.e., received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s), when eligible).
Participants are encouraged to practice proper and frequent hand-washing protocol.
If a person has a recently confirmed case of COVID-19 (within 5 days prior to the Forum):
- Do not attend the Forum.
- Stay at home and isolate from others for at least 5 full days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the date of the positive viral test for asymptomatic persons). Wear a mask when around others for an additional 5 days.
- If unvaccinated:
  - Get tested and self-quarantine for at least 5 full days if you have been exposed to someone that tested positive for COVID-19.
  - Stay home and self-quarantine for a full 5 days after international travel.
- All travelers, vaccinated and unvaccinated, should get tested 3-5 days upon return from international travel and monitor for symptoms.

This policy and requirements are subject to change at any time leading up to the Forum. Participants will be made aware of any changes to this policy. It is every participant’s responsibility to remain apprised of the policy and any changes prior to arrival in Huntsville, AL.

Forum Transportation and Directions

Transportation

Huntsville Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center does not offer transportation service to/from Huntsville International Airport (HSV).

Directions

Huntsville Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center is located about 10 miles away from Huntsville International Airport (HSV).

Get on I-565 E from Houston Goodson Blvd SW and Glenn Hearn Blvd SW
Follow I-565 E to Tranquility Base. Take exit 15 from I-565 E
Continue on Tranquility Base to your destination
Arrive at the Huntsville Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center

Forum Host Hotel

Huntsville Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center

Deadline to Reserve a Room at the HuLC Group Rate: Thursday, May 24, 2024, at 11:59 PM Central

Single King/Double Queen Room : $129/Night

Cancellation Policy: 72 Hours Prior to Check-In

RESERVE A HOTEL ROOM

Forum Registration and Payment

Deadline to Register and Complete Payment for 2024 Forum: Monday, May 20, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Note: Each participant must register for the Competition Forum individually (including the faculty advisor).

REGISTER AND PAY FOR FORUM

Jamshid Samareh
NASA’s Langley Research Center

Jamshid Samareh is a senior research aerospace engineer in the Vehicle Analysis Branch of NASA Langley Research Center. His research interests are in Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL), mass modeling, multidisciplinary analysis and design optimization (MDAO), fluid-structure interaction, geometry modeling, and shape optimization.

Esther Lee
2024 Chairwoman
NASA’s Langley Research Center

Esther Lee earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from Rutgers University and University of California, Davis. She began her career at NASA’s Langley Research Center in 2014, and has made contributions to the Space Launch System, crew health, Human Lander System, and more. Her experiences span the areas of aerothermodynamics, model-based systems engineering, flight mechanics, and database/tool integration. She currently leads the navigation sensors technology assessment capability team and is passionate about expanding the capability to enable decision-making in technology investments. Outside of work, Esther can be found unleashing her creativity and experimenting across art mediums, tending to her garden when the weather is right, and engaging in STEM outreach.

TECHNICAL PAPER

REQUIRED ITEMS

RESOURCES

AIP Publishing Resources – Featured Resources for Researchers

PRESENTATION

POSTER SESSION

PROPOSAL PACKAGE

Proposal and 2-Minute Video Submission

REQUIRED ITEMS

Vendor/W-9 Information Form (MUST BE FILLED OUT AND SUBMITTED WITH PROPOSAL)
- Note: Teams may receive a pre-filled Vendor/W-9 Form from their institution’s Accounting Department. This form is equivalent to our “Vendor/W-9 Information Form” and is considered an acceptable solution.
Quad Chart Template

RESOURCES

AIP Publishing Resources – Featured Resources for Researchers

LOGO

HuLC Teams may use the competition name and logos on anything which specifically and positively represents the competition, but the logos should not be altered in any manner. This includes any presentations or promotions you do before, during, and after the onsite portion of the competition.

COST ESTIMATES

NEW FOR 2025: NASA Procedural Requirements: Budget Formulation
NASA Technology Transfer Program: Software Catalog
- Project Cost Estimating Capability (PCEC): The PCEC an Excel-based software tool with a collection of cost estimating relationships and models to estimate the development and production costs of spaceflight hardware systems. For more information or help with using PCEC, contact the PCEC Support Desk at msfc-sra-team@mail.nasa.gov.
NASA Cost Estimating Handbook (CEH), Version 4.0
NASA Cost Estimating Presentation Chart Deck: 2015 RASC-AL Competition Costing Webinar by Jordan Klovstad (25 March 2015)
“Sensitivity Analysis of the Advanced Missions Cost Model”
- Authors: Andrew Owens, Olivier de Weck
“Rapid Cost Estimation for Space Exploration Systems”
- Authors: Dale C. Arney, Alan W. Wilhite

HUMAN HEALTH

NASA’s Human Research Program Integrated Research Plan: Contains important information on health-related issues and problems that NASA needs to tackle.
NASA’s Human Research Program: Contains information on health-related issues and problems that NASA is currently working towards.
Human Research Roadmap: This website takes a look at specific gaps that NASA is working on, which should help provide areas to consider relating to health and space travel.
Curiosity’s Radiation Results: Contains information regarding potential radiation levels for humans traveling to Mars and its implications.

ORBITAL MECHANICS

NASA Technology Transfer Program: Software Catalog
- General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT), Version 2011A: The GMAT is a software system for trajectory optimization, mission analysis, trajectory estimation, and prediction. For more information or help with using GMAT, contact the GMAT Support Desk at gsfc-softwarerequest@mail.nasa.gov.
Two-Body Orbital Mechanics
- This spreadsheet contains no Ephemeris Calculus, stay-time arrivals, or swing-bys; just Hohmann Transfer.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Horizons System
“Orbit Maintenance and Navigation of Human Spacecraft at Cislunar Near Rectilinear Halo Orbits”
- Authors: Diane Davis, Sagar Bhatt, Kathleen Howell, Jiann-Woei Jang, Ryan Whitley, Fred Clark, Davide Guzzetti, Emily Zimovan, Gregg Barton
“Options for Staging Orbits in Cis-Lunar Space”
- Authors: Ryan Whitley, Roland Martinez
“Targeting Cislunar Near Rectilinear Halo Orbits for Human Space Exploration”
- Authors: Jacob Williams, David E. Lee, Ryan Whitley, Kevin Bokelmann, Diane Davis, Christopher Berry

SOFTWARE

NASA Technology Transfer Program: Software Catalog
- Project Cost Estimating Capability (PCEC): The PCEC an Excel-based software tool with a collection of cost estimating relationships and models to estimate the development and production costs of spaceflight hardware systems. For more information or help with using PCEC, contact the PCEC Support Desk at msfc-sra-team@mail.nasa.gov.
SOLIDWORKS: SOLIDWORKS for Students
- SOLIDWORKS has offered to provide RASC-AL Competition Teams with free software, if needed. They are offering free SOLIDWORKS with Simulation to each team member for their personal computers. If you are interested in obtaining the free software, please visit the following webpage: SOLIDWORKS Sponsorship for Student Teams.
- Note: Neither NASA nor NIA endorse SOLIDWORKS, and each team needs to make independent assessments of these offers and products.
NASA’s On-Line Tool for the Assessment of Radiation in Space (OLTARIS)
- OLTARIS provides researchers with access to a toll set that can be used to assess the effects of space radiation on vehicles, electronics, and humans.