The LunaRecycle Challenge is a $3 million, two track, two-phase competition focused on the design and development of recycling solutions that can reduce solid waste and improve the sustainability of longer-term lunar missions. Teams may compete in either or both competition tracks.
As NASA prepares for future human space missions, sustainability will be critical. The LunaRecycle Challenge asks innovators to consider how various solid waste streams can be processed and recycled in a space environment so that little or no waste will need to be returned to Earth.
The challenge also hopes to inspire better approaches and outcomes for terrestrial recycling—through entirely novel approaches, processes that improve efficiency and reduce toxic outputs, and smaller-scale technologies that could be deployed in communities around the globe.
The concept of a digital twin was born at NASA and represents a critical tool for designing and building physical systems and components that must operate in extreme environments like those found on the Moon. Digital twin technologies can enable numerous virtual design iterations and configurations and reduce the need for makeshift physical prototypes, saving substantial time and costs.
The Digital Twin Track of this challenge is focused on designing a digital twin of a complete system for recycling one or more solid waste streams on the lunar surface and manufacturing one or more end products.
NASA has identified a number of sustainability research areas requiring further investment—including trash management for habitation and in-space and on-surface manufacturing from recycled materials.
The Prototype Build track of this challenge is focused on complementing other NASA research activities by focusing on designing and developing hardware components and systems for recycling one or more solid waste categories on the lunar surface. Teams in this track may—but are not required to—include the manufacturing of one or more end products in their design.
Looking for additional resources to learn more about the challenge and compete? Here are the latest supplementary materials, FAQs, and webinar materials.
Registration and Submissions are now open!
Please see the Registration and Submission FAQs for details on how to register and submit your solution. Please note that in order to complete the registration process and be an officially registered team, you must upload a completed Team Agreement (December 2024 version).
If you have a specific question that is not covered in the challenge rules or FAQs, please email your question to: lunarecycle@ua.edu.
The deadline for registration and submission is March 31, 2025, 4:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
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