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By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Auburn University’s project, “Dynamic Ecosystems for Mars ECLSS Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER),” won top prize in NASA’s 2025 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition Forum. National Institute of Aerospace A team from Auburn University took top honors in NASA’s 2025 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition Forum, where undergraduate and graduate teams competed to develop new concepts for operating on the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Auburn’s project, “Dynamic Ecosystems for Mars Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER)” advised by Dr. Davide Guzzetti, took home top prize out of 14 Finalist Teams from academic institutions across the nation. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University took second place overall for their concept, “Adaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM),” advised by Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh. The University of Maryland took third place overall with their project, “Servicing Crane Outfitted Rover for Payloads, Inspection, Operations, N’stuff (SCORPION),” advised by Dr. David Akin, Nich Bolatto, and Charlie Hanner.
The first and second place overall winning teams will present their work at the 2025 AIAA Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery (ASCEND) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in July.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University took second place overall in NASA’s 2025 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition Forum for their concept, “Adaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM).”National Institute of Aerospace The RASC-AL Competition, which took place from June 2-4, 2025, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, is a unique initiative designed to bridge the gap between academia and the aerospace industry, empowering undergraduate and graduate students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world challenges in space exploration. This year’s themes included “Sustained Lunar Evolution – An Inspirational Moment,” “Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign,” and “Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot.”
“The RASC-AL Competition cultivates students who bring bold, imaginative thinking to the kinds of complex challenges we tackle at NASA,” said Dan Mazanek, RASC-AL program sponsor and senior space systems engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “These teams push the boundaries of what’s possible in space system design and offer new insights. These insights help build critical engineering capabilities, preparing the next generation of aerospace leaders to step confidently into the future of space exploration.”
As NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, the RASC-AL Competition stands as an opportunity for aspiring aerospace professionals to design real-world solutions to complex problems facing the Agency. By engaging with the next generation of innovators, NASA can collaborate with the academic community to crowd-source new solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.
Additional 2025 Forum Awards include:
Best in Theme: Sustained Lunar Evolution: An Inspirational Moment
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Project Title: Project Aeneas Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh Best in Theme: Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign
Auburn University Project Title: Dynamic Ecosystems for Mars ECLSS Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER) Advisor: Dr. Davide Guzzetti Best in Theme: Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Project Title: Adaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM) Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh Best Prototype: South Dakota State University
Project Title: Next-gen Operations and Versatile Assistant (NOVA) Advisor: Dr. Todd Letcher, Allea Klauenberg, Liam Murray, Alex Schaar, Nick Sieler, Dylan Stephens, Carter Waggoner
RASC-AL is open to undergraduate and graduate students studying disciplines related to human exploration, including aerospace, bio-medical, electrical, and mechanical engineering, and life, physical, and computer sciences. RASC-AL projects allow students to incorporate their coursework into space exploration objectives in a team environment and help bridge strategic knowledge gaps associated with NASA’s vision. Students have the opportunity to interact with NASA officials and industry experts and develop relationships that could lead to participation in other NASA student research programs.
RASC-AL is sponsored by the Strategies and Architectures Office within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and by the Space Mission Analysis Branch within the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate at NASA Langley. It is administered by the National Institute of Aerospace.
For more information about the RASC-AL competition, including complete theme and submission guidelines, visit: http://rascal.nianet.org.
National Institute of Aerospace
About the Author
Joe Atkinson
Public Affairs Officer, NASA Langley Research Center
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Last Updated Jun 05, 2025 Related Terms
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3 min read NASA Earth Scientist Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Article 48 mins ago 3 min read I Am Artemis: Lili Villarreal
Lili Villarreal fell in love with space exploration from an early age when her and…
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By NASA
Artemis II crew members, shown inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, stand in front of their Orion crew module on Aug. 8, 2023. Pictured from left are CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch.Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett NASA will host a live Twitch event to highlight the ongoing Moon Mascot Challenge, which invites the public to design a zero gravity indicator for the agency’s Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon. Viewers will have the opportunity to provide real-time input to an artist who will create an example of a zero gravity indicator during the livestream.
Zero gravity indicators are small, plush items carried aboard spacecraft to provide a visual indication of when the crew reaches space.
The event will begin at 3 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 13, on the agency’s official Twitch channel:
https://www.twitch.tv/nasa
The contest invites global creators of all ages to submit design ideas for a zero gravity indicator that will fly aboard the agency’s Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign.
Up to 25 finalists, including entries from a K-12 student division, will be selected. The Artemis II crew will choose one design that NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab will fabricate to fly alongside the crew in the Orion spacecraft.
During this Twitch event, NASA experts will discuss the Moon Mascot Challenge while the artist incorporates live audience feedback into a sample design. Although the design example will not be eligible for the contest, it will demonstrate how challenge participants can develop their own zero gravity indicator designs. The example will be shared on the @NASAArtemis social media accounts following the Twitch event.
The Artemis II test flight will take NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back. The mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface to help the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars.
To learn more about NASA’s missions, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov
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Rachel Kraft
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov
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Last Updated May 12, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
A digital rendering of the baseline configuration for Blue Origin’s free-flying commercial space station, Orbital Reef, which continues to be developed as part of a Space Act Agreement with NASA.Blue Origin A NASA-supported commercial space station, Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef, recently completed a human-in-the-loop testing milestone as the agency works toward developing commercial space stations in low Earth orbit.
The human-in-the-loop test scenarios utilized individual participants or small groups to perform day-in-the-life walkthroughs in life-sized mockups of major station components. Participants provided feedback while simulating microgravity operations, including cargo transfer, trash transfer, stowage, and worksite assessments.
“Human-in-the-loop and iterative testing are essential to inform key decisions and mitigate risks to crew health and safety,” said Angela Hart, program manager for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “NASA’s insight into our partner’s testing milestones enables the agency to gain insight into partner progress and share expertise, ultimately improving industry and NASA’s mission success.”
Test subjects in the mockup for Blue Origin’s free-flying commercial space station, Orbital Reef, during the human-in-the-loop test.Blue Origin The milestone is part of a NASA Space Act Agreement originally awarded to Blue Origin in 2021 and focused on the design progress for multiple worksites, floors, and translation paths within the station. This ensures a commercial station can support human life, which is critical to advancing scientific research in a microgravity environment and maintaining a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.
The test evaluated various aspects of Orbital Reef’s environment to provide information needed for the space station’s design. Assessment areas included the private crew quarters, dining area, lavatory, research laboratory, and berthing and docking hatches.
To facilitate the test, Blue Origin built stand-alone mockups of each floor in the internally developed habitable module. These mockups will be iteratively updated as the fidelity of components and subsystems matures, enabling future human-in-the-loop testing.
The research team’s observations will be used to provide design recommendations for worksite volumes, layouts, restraint and mobility aid layouts, usability and workload, and positioning of interfaces and equipment.
NASA supports the design and development of multiple commercial space stations, including Orbital Reef, through funded and unfunded agreements. The current design and development phase will soon be followed by the procurement of services from one or more companies, where NASA aims to be one of many customers for low Earth orbit stations.
NASA is committed to maintaining a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit as the agency transitions from the International Space Station to commercial space stations. For nearly 25 years, NASA has supported a continuous presence in low Earth orbit aboard the space station and will continue to build on the agency’s extensive human spaceflight experience to advance future scientific and exploration goals.
For more information about commercial space stations, visit:
www.nasa.gov/commercialspacestations
A test subject in the mockup for Blue Origin’s free-flying commercial space station, Orbital Reef, during the human-in-the-loop test.Blue Origin Keep Exploring Discover More Topics
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By NASA
4 Min Read 3D Printing: Saving Weight and Space at Launch
The first metal part 3D printed in space. Credits: ESA Science in Space March 2025
Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is regularly used on the ground to quickly produce a variety of devices. Adapting this process for space could let crew members create tools and parts for maintenance and repair of equipment on the spot, rather than trying to bring along every item that might be needed.
The ability to manufacture things in space is especially important in planning for missions to the Moon and Mars because additional supplies cannot quickly be sent from Earth and cargo capacity is limited.
Research on the International Space Station is helping to develop the capability to address multiple needs using 3D printing.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps configures the Metal 3D Printer to produce experimental samples from stainless steel.NASA Metal 3D Printer, a current investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), tests 3D printing of small metal parts in microgravity. Results could improve understanding of the function, performance, and operations of 3D printing in space with metal, as well as the quality, strength, and characteristics of printed parts. This work also could benefit applications on Earth that use metal, such as the automotive, aeronautical, and maritime industries.
Printing with plastic
NASA Astronaut Butch Wilmore holds a ratchet wrench created with the 3D Printing in Zero-G printer.NASA 3D Printing in Zero-G sent the first 3D printer, developed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Redwire (formerly Made in Space), to the space station in 2014. The printer used a process that feeds a continuous thread of plastic through a heated extruder and onto a tray layer by layer to create an object. The investigation produced more than a dozen parts, including a ratchet wrench, showing that researchers could send a design from the ground to the system on the station more than 200 miles above.
Comparing the parts made in space with those made on the ground showed that microgravity had no significant effect on the process.
Redwire then developed the Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF), sent to the station in 2015. Researchers evaluated its mechanical performance and found improvements in tension strength and flexibility compared to the earlier demonstration, helping to further the technology for this type of manufacturing on Earth and in space.
In 2015 and 2016, Portable On Board 3D Printer tested an automated printer developed by the Italian Space Agency to produce plastic objects in space. The investigation provided insight into how the material behaves in microgravity, which could support development of European additive manufacturing technology for use in space.
Printing with other materials
NASA astronaut Anne McClain installs the Refabricator in Feb. 2019.NASA Another approach is recycling plastic – for example, turning a used 3D-printed wrench into a spoon and creating items from the plastic bags and packing foam needed to send supplies to space. This technology could help reduce the amount of raw material at launch and cut down on the volume of waste that must be disposed of on long journeys. The Refabricator, a machine created by Tethers Unlimited Inc, tested this approach and successfully manufactured its first object. Some issues occurred in the bonding process, likely caused by microgravity, but assessment of the material could help determine whether there are limits to how many times plastic can be re-used. Ultimately, researchers plan to create a database of parts that can be manufactured using the space station’s capabilities.
The Redwire Regolith Print facility before launch to the space station.Redwire Space Redwire Regolith Print (RRP) tested another kind of feedstock for 3D manufacturing in orbit, a simulated version of regolith, the dust present on the surface of the Moon and other planetary bodies. Results could lead to development of technology for using regolith to construct habitats and other structures rather than bringing raw materials from Earth.
The space station also has hosted studies of a form of 3D printing called biological printing or bioprinting. This process uses living cells, proteins, and nutrients as raw materials to potentially produce human tissues for treating injury and disease, which could benefit future crews and patients on Earth.
Other manufacturing techniques tested on the orbiting lab include producing optical fibers and growing crystals for synthesizing pharmaceuticals and fabricating semiconductors.
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By NASA
Will you design the zero gravity indicator (ZGI) that accompanies the Artemis II mission around the Moon? If your design is one of the most compelling and resonates with the global community and the Artemis II astronauts, your design might fly into space aboard the Orion spacecraft and you could win US$1225. Zero gravity indicators are small items carried aboard spacecraft that provide a visual indicator for when a spacecraft has reached the weightlessness of microgravity. A plush Snoopy doll was the ZGI for the Artemis I mission. For that uncrewed mission, Snoopy floated around, tethered inside the vehicle to indicate when the Orion spacecraft had reached space. For this Challenge, we’re asking creatives from all over the world to design a new ZGI to be fabricated by NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab and launched into space aboard the Artemis II mission.
Award: $23,275 in total prizes
Open Date: March 7, 2025
Close Date: May 27, 2025
For more information, visit: https://www.freelancer.com/contest/Moon-Mascot-NASA-Artemis-II-ZGI-Design-Challenge-2527909/details
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