NASA wants your help to safely land future lunar vehicles in the dark, including permanently shadowed craters that may be icy.
The Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge No. 1 will award up to three prizes of up to $650,000 each. The challenge requires applicants to create sensors that can detect dangers from at least 822 feet high and to process the information as the landing is taking place, allowing for a safe touchdown.
Full applications are due May 19. The technology will assist with the long-term goals of the agency. The Artemis program is aiming to eventually send humans to the moon and the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program is to put small commercial spaceships on the moon as soon as this year.
NASA prepares for moon's dark south pole in eerie lights.
The challenge is an exciting opportunity for industry to offer solutions that address one of NASA's critical goals for space exploration and scientific discovery.
Water ice in permanently shadowed craters is one of the exploration resources that the hope is to bring as close as possible to. Even in an era where precise landings are more feasible than ever, landing in darkness or shadowed areas is still difficult.
The Perseverance rover that touched down on Mars in 2021 is getting better, but it was always in the dark. NASA is looking for more cost-effective, lightweight landing vehicles.
Kelly said that the challenge was an important step in the search for innovative technologies that will enable robotic and crewed missions to pursue landings in hazardous terrain.
If the sensors can create three-dimensional maps and detect hazards during landing maneuvers, then sensor systems can use radar, lidar, optical or other measurements.
The TechLeap Prize is funded by NASA. This summer, a prize called the Autonomous Observation Challenge No. 1 will be tested on high-altitude balloon flights.
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