NASA’s Human Lander Challenge marked its second year on June 26, awarding $18,000 in prize money to three university teams for their solutions for long-duration cryogenic, or super chilled, liquid storage and transfer systems for spaceflight.
Building on the crewed Artemis II flight test, NASA’s Artemis III mission will send astronauts to explore the lunar South Pole region with a human landing system and advanced spacesuits, preparing humanity to ultimately go to Mars. In-space propulsion systems that use cryogenic liquids as propellants must stay extremely cold to remain in a liquid state and are critical to mission success. The Artemis mission architecture will need these systems to function for several weeks or even months.
Students and advisors with the 12 finalist teams for the 2025 Human Lander Challenge competed in Huntsville, Alabama, near the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center between June 24-26. NASA/Charles BeasonNASA announced Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott as the overall winner and recipient of the $10,000 top prize award. Old Dominion University won second place and a $5,000 award, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology in third place and a $3,000 award.
Before the winners were announced, 12 finalist teams selected in April gave their presentations to a panel of NASA and industry judges as part of the final competition in Huntsville. As part of the 2025 Human Lander Challenge, university teams developed systems-level solutions that could be used within the next 3-5 years for Artemis.
NASA selected Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott as the overall winner of NASA’s 2025 Human Lander Challenge Forum June 26. Lisa Watson-Morgan, manager of NASA’s Human Landing System Program, presented the awards at the ceremony. NASA/Charles Beason“Today’s Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration students are tomorrow’s mission designers, systems engineers, and explorers,” said Juan Valenzuela, main propulsion systems and cryogenic fluid management subsystems lead for NASA’s Human Landing System Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “The Human Lander Challenge concepts at this year’s forum demonstrate the ingenuity, passion, and determination NASA and industry need to help solve long-duration cryogenic storage challenges to advance human exploration to deep space.”
The challenge is sponsored by the agency’s Human Landing System Program within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and managed by the National Institute of Aerospace.
Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.
For more information about Artemis missions, visit:
www.nasa.gov/artemis
News Media Contact
Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034 corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Jun 27, 2025 EditorLee MohonContactCorinne M. Beckingercorinne.m.beckinger@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight CenterRelated Terms
Human Lander ChallengeArtemisGeneralHuman Landing System ProgramHumans in SpaceMarshall Space Flight CenterExplore More
3 min readNASA Engineers Simulate Lunar Lighting for Artemis III Moon Landing
Article 1 week ago 4 min readNASA Marshall Fires Up Hybrid Rocket Motor to Prep for Moon Landings
Article 2 months ago 3 min readNASA Selects Finalist Teams for Student Human Lander Challenge
Article 3 months ago Keep ExploringDiscover More Topics From NASA
Human Landing System
Space Launch System (SLS)
Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Space Launch System (SLS), an integrated super heavy lift launch platform enabling a new…
Humans In Space
Orion Capsule
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is built to take humans farther than they’ve ever gone before. Orion will serve as the exploration…
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( NASA Announces Winners of 2025 Human Lander Challenge )
Also on site :
- RHOM star Larsa Pippen got ‘boob job, nose job, BBL and fillers’ to look like a ‘doll,’ top plastic surgeon claims
- Beloved '90s Actress, 53, Goes Makeup Free in Rare Summer Photos With Husband: 'Make the Time'
- Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka dance at Centre Court and post about it on TikTok and Instagram