Fri Dec 06 14:51:46 UTC 2024: ## NASA Launches $20,000 Contest to Design Lunar Rescue System
**Houston, TX** – NASA is seeking innovative solutions for rescuing astronauts stranded on the Moon, offering a $20,000 prize for the best design. The challenge, part of the agency’s Artemis mission preparations, aims to develop a system capable of transporting a fully-suited astronaut across the challenging lunar terrain.
The competition, hosted on the HeroX platform and running until January 23, 2025, addresses the critical need for a reliable rescue method in the event of an astronaut becoming incapacitated during a mission near the Moon’s south pole. The harsh environment, characterized by extreme temperatures, rugged terrain, and large craters, poses significant challenges to rescue efforts. The winning design must be capable of transporting an astronaut wearing a bulky spacesuit at least two kilometers up a 20-degree incline, without the aid of a rover.
NASA officials highlight the impracticality of manual carrying given the astronaut’s weight and the difficult terrain. The solution must be lightweight, easy to use, and minimize impact on the astronaut’s new Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Suit. The agency emphasizes the importance of a solution that operates independently of a lunar rover and functions effectively in the extreme conditions of the lunar south pole.
The $20,000 prize is part of a larger $45,000 prize pool for the South Pole Safety Challenge. The agency is aiming to be prepared for the potential risks of the Artemis mission, scheduled for September 2026. Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of NASA experts and engineers based on criteria including weight, ease of use, and impact on the astronaut’s spacesuit. Interested individuals can submit their entries via the HeroX portal.
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