Key Takeaways
- NASA is inviting college teams to participate in the 2026 Lunabotics Challenge to design robots that can build lunar structures.
- The competition will take place in two phases, culminating in a final event at Kennedy Space Center in May 2026.
- This initiative supports NASA’s Artemis program while providing students with hands-on experience in engineering and technology.
NASA Launches 2026 Lunabotics Challenge for College Students
As the academic year begins, NASA is encouraging college and technical students to apply for the 2026 Lunabotics Challenge. Interested teams can submit applications starting September 8 through NASA’s Stem Gateway portal. Specific details and important dates are outlined in the 2026 Lunabotics Challenge Guidebook.
The challenge involves creating robots capable of constructing berms using lunar regolith, which is essential for various lunar mission operations. These structures will serve as blast protection during landings, provide shading for cryogenic tanks, and offer radiation shielding for future nuclear power setups on the Moon.
Robert Mueller, a senior technologist at NASA and a co-founder of the Lunabotics competition, highlighted the importance of these efforts. “Excavating and moving regolith is a fundamental need to build infrastructure on the Moon and Mars, and this competition creates 21st century skills in the future workforce,” he stated.
An in-person qualifying event is set to take place from May 12 to 17, 2026, at the University of Central Florida’s Space Institute’s Exolith Lab in Orlando. The top 10 scoring teams will proceed to the final competition at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Artemis Arena from May 19 to 21. The team that garners the most points will earn the Lunabotics Grand Prize and take part in an exhibition at NASA Kennedy.
NASA aims to discover innovative solutions to challenges faced during Artemis missions, including the development of lunar excavators and resource utilization capabilities. By utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, the Lunabotics Challenge not only fosters creativity but also serves as a talent pipeline, equipping student teams with essential skills in computer coding, engineering, and manufacturing.
Since its inception in 2010, the Lunabotics Challenge has been part of several Artemis Student Challenges. It allows U.S. college and technical school teams to design, build, and operate prototype lunar robots using NASA’s systems engineering processes. This competition provides NASA with valuable design data and operational insights, supports risk management, and stimulates new ideas necessary for returning to the Moon as part of the Artemis program in preparation for human exploration of Mars.
For additional information about the Lunabotics Challenge, visit NASA’s dedicated page at NASA Lunabotics Challenge.
The content above is a summary. For more details, see the source article.
