About Us

The BIG Idea Challenge is managed by a partnership between the National Institute of Aerospace and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory on behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) is a non-profit research and graduate education institute created to conduct innovative aerospace and atmospheric research, develop new technologies for the nation and help inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. NIA serves as a strategic partner with NASA and the aerospace community to enable research creativity and expand technology development opportunities. The Institute integrates research and education while creating new government/academia/industry partnerships to solve tomorrow’s problems today.

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a not-for-profit university affiliated research center (UARC) that solves complex research, engineering, and analytical problems that present critical challenges to our nation. Since the dawn of the Space Age, APL has pushed the frontiers of space science. We captured the first picture of Earth from space, invented navigation by satellite, dispatched spacecraft across the solar system that are exploring regions around our Sun to Pluto and beyond, and successfully conducted the world’s first planetary defense test mission. Our work includes design, fabrication, and operation of premier space science instruments, novel space systems, and advanced space technology.

APL supports the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate’s (SpaceTech) Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII) that aims to spur the deployment of technologies needed for lunar surface exploration and accelerate the technology readiness of key systems and components. The JHU/APL LSII support includes providing science and engineering integration expertise, managing and coordinating the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) and technology research opportunity support. LSIC harnesses the creativity, energy and resources of the nation to help NASA keep the United States at the forefront of lunar exploration and to enable a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.