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Two teams from southern California have emerged victorious, collectively winning $1.5 million in NASA’s Break the Ice Lunar Challenge after two days of intense live competitions. This challenge, aimed at advancing lunar exploration technologies, has been ongoing since 2020 and draws participants from around the globe.

The competition's primary goal is to inspire the creation of robots capable of excavating and transporting icy regolith found on the Moon. The lunar South Pole, the target landing site for crewed Artemis missions, contains vital icy resources within its permanently shadowed regions. These resources are crucial for sustaining a human presence on the Moon, providing water for drinking, oxygen for breathing, and hydrogen for fuel.

Valerie and Todd Mendenhall of Terra Engineering proudly hold their $1 million check after winning NASA’s Break the Ice Lunar Challenge. They are joined by Daniel K. Wims, president of Alabama A&M University; Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center; Challenge Manager Naveen Vetcha; and Majed El-Dweik, vice president of Research & Economic Development at Alabama A&M University.

The final round, held at Alabama A&M’s Agribition Center in Huntsville on June 11 and 12, featured six teams that had advanced from earlier stages. Each team tested their innovative solutions using Earth-based resources designed to simulate the Moon’s harsh environment, including gravity-offloading cranes, concrete slabs, and rocky tracks.

Winners and Their Innovations

Terra Engineering won the top prize of $1 million with their “Fracture” rover. Led by Todd Mendenhall, who has a history with NASA’s 2007 Regolith Excavation Challenge, and supported by his wife, Valerie, the team developed a rover that excels in autonomous lunar excavation. The Fracture rover is designed to efficiently break through the tough lunar regolith and transport the excavated material. Its robust design ensures it can withstand the extreme conditions of the lunar South Pole, including low temperatures and rough terrain.

Starpath Robotics, a small space hardware business, secured second place and a significant cash prize with their innovative four-wheeled rover. Team leader Saurav Shroff and lead engineer Mihir Gondhalekar developed a robotic mining tool featuring a drum barrel scraping mechanism. This design enables the rover to break into the tough lunar surface, mine material rapidly, and transport it efficiently without sacrificing energy. Starpath's approach focuses on maximizing energy efficiency and operational durability, crucial for long-term lunar missions.

“The Break the Ice Challenge marks a significant step towards sustainable lunar exploration and a future human presence on the Moon,” said Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. “This competition has pushed the boundaries of innovation, challenging the brightest minds to develop groundbreaking solutions for lunar ice excavation, a crucial resource for future missions. Together, we are paving the way for humanity’s continued journey into the cosmos.”

Importance of the Challenge

Kim Krome, Acting Program Manager for NASA’s Centennial Challenges, emphasized the technological advancements achieved through this competition. “Terra Engineering’s rover has successfully addressed several technology gaps, demonstrating robustness and resilience in traversing rocky landscapes and enduring the harsh conditions of the lunar South Pole,” Krome noted. The competition's outcomes are expected to guide future machine designs and operation concepts for lunar mining and excavation, influencing space exploration technology for decades.

Future Opportunities

Beyond the $1.5 million in prize money, three top-performing teams will have the unique opportunity to use Marshall Space Flight Center’s thermal vacuum (TVAC) chambers for further testing and development. These chambers can simulate the lunar environment, providing a critical testing ground for hardware before it is deemed flight-ready.

The teams invited to utilize the TVAC facilities are:

• Terra Engineering (Gardena, California)

• Starpath Robotics (Hawthorne, California)

• Michigan Technological University – Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab (Houghton, Michigan)

“We are excited to welcome these finalists to our thermal vacuum chamber,” said Break the Ice Challenge Manager Naveen Vetcha. “Access to our state-of-the-art facilities will enable the teams to advance their technologies and potentially unlock new opportunities for the future.”

About the Challenge

NASA’s Break the Ice Lunar Challenge, part of the Centennial Challenges program, is led by the Marshall Space Flight Center with support from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The Centennial Challenges are part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program under NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, aiming to stimulate innovation and creativity among the public. Ensemble Consultancy supports challenge competitors, while Alabama A&M University collaborates with NASA to facilitate the final competitions and winner events.

This year’s challenge has set a new benchmark in lunar exploration technology, paving the way for future missions that will further humanity’s presence on the Moon and beyond.