Announcing the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge Awardees!
Seven teams were selected as finalists in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge for their technologies that will support a future metal production pipeline on the Moon.
2023 BIG Idea Challenge Awardees:
Colorado School of Mines
Lunar Alloy Metal Production Plant (LAMPP)
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Christopher Dreyer, Dr. George Sowers
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Honeybee Robotics
Artemis Steelworks: Advancing Reactor Technologies for Electrolytic Manufacturing of In-Situ Steel
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman, Dr. Antoine Allanore, Dr. Olivier De Weck, Dr. Martin Culpepper, George Lordos
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Missouri University of Science and Technology
Lunar In-Situ Aluminum Production Through Molten Salt Electrolysis (LISAP-MSE)
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Daoru Han, Dr. Jeffrey Smith, Dr. Fateme Rezaei, Dr. David Bayless, Dr. William Schonberg, Dr. Daniel Stutts
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Northwestern University with Wearifi, Inc.
ACRE: Autonomous Casting RovEr
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ian McCue
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Pennsylvania State University with RFHIC and Jacobs Space Exploration Group
Development of the Smelting with Microwave Energy for Lunar Technologies (SMELT) System for In-Situ Resource Processing
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Sven Bilen, Dr. Aleksandra Radlinska
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University of North Texas with Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes Institute, UNT; Enabled Engineering
Solid-state Integrated Manufacturing Process for Lunar Environment (SIMPLE)
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Rajiv S. Mishra, Dr. Hector Siller, Dr. Ravi Sankar Haridas
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University of Utah with Powder Metallurgy Research Laboratory
Production of Steel from Lunar Regolith through Carbonyl Iron Refining (CIR)
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Hong Y. Sohn, Dr. Michael F. Simpson, Dr. Michael L Free
NASA Articles:
University Teams Forge Forward in NASA Moon Metal Production Challenge
NASA Seeks Student Ideas for Extracting, Forging Metal on the Moon
News Articles:
Sustained Moon Exploration: Forging a Way to the Future (Leonard David: Inside Outer Space)
NASA Selects Seven Universities to Compete in the Annual Moon Metal Production Challenge
Teams Forge Forward in NASA Moon Metal Production Challenge
In the NASA Moon Metal Production Challenge, teams go forward
University Teams Forge Forward in NASA Moon Metal Production Challenge
NASA Challenge Drives Students to Develop Moon-Friendly Portable Microwave System
Penn State Research Team Pushes the Limits of Lunar Innovation Starting with a Kitchen Microwave
NASA-funded Student Team Builds Microwave System to Smelt Metal on the Moon
Student Team Selected for NASA Big Idea Challenge Lunar Forge
Manufacturing Moon Metal: Missouri S&T Students Conduct Research for NASA Challenge
Engaging Universities in NASA's Missio to Develop Space Exploration Technologies in Lunar Forge
University of Utah Team Selected for 2023 BIG Idea Challenge
Mines Team Wins Award in NASA's 2023 BIG Idea Challenge
Northwestern University Team Finalist in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge
NASA Space Grant Collaboration w/STMD and GCD Makes Strides in Team Challenge
NASA Team Takes on NASA's Lunar Challenge
Teams Forge Forward in NASA Moon Metal Production Challenge
NASA Funds Metal Production on the Moon
NASA Challenges U.S. Students to Design Vital Equipment for Moon Base
NASA Seeking Student Ideas for Extracting, Forging Metal on Moon
