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Top Prize Awarded in Lunar Autonomy Challenge to Virtually Map Moon’s Surface
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By NASA
De izquierda a derecha, los astronautas de la NASA Victor Glover, piloto de Artemis II y Reid Wiseman, comandante de Artemis II, el astronauta de la CSA (Agencia Espacial Canadiense) Jeremy Hansen, especialista de misión para Artemis II, y la astronauta de la NASA Christina Koch, especialista de misión para Artemis II, se ponen los trajes espaciales y salen del Edificio de Operaciones y Control Neil A. Armstrong del Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida el 11 de agosto.Crédito: NASA/Kim Shiflett Read this release in English here.
La NASA ha abierto el plazo para la acreditación de los medios a un programa de eventos de varios días de duración para presentar a la nueva promoción de astronautas de Estados Unidos y proporcionar información sobre el vuelo de prueba tripulado de la misión Artemis II alrededor de la Luna. Las actividades tendrán lugar en septiembre en el Centro Espacial Johnson de la agencia en Houston.
Después de evaluar más de 8.000 solicitudes, la NASA presentará a su nueva generación de candidatos a astronauta de 2025 durante una ceremonia que se llevará a cabo el lunes 22 de septiembre a las 12:30 p.m. hora del este. Después de la ceremonia, los candidatos estarán disponibles para entrevistas con los medios.
El evento de selección de astronautas se transmitirá en vivo en NASA+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, el canal de YouTube de la agencia y en la cuenta de X de la NASA, en idioma inglés.
Los candidatos seleccionados se someterán a casi dos años de entrenamiento antes de graduarse como astronautas elegibles para el vuelo en las misiones de la agencia a la órbita baja de la Tierra, la Luna y, más adelante, el planeta Marte.
A continuación de este evento, la NASA ofrecerá una serie de sesiones informativas para los medios de comunicación el martes 23 de septiembre y el miércoles 24 de septiembre, donde se dará un anticipo de la misión Artemis II, programada para despegar no más tarde de abril de 2026. Este vuelo de prueba —que será lanzado a bordo del cohete Sistema de Lanzamiento Espacial (SLS, por sus siglas en inglés) y la nave espacial Orion— enviará a los astronautas de la NASA Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover y Christina Koch, junto con el astronauta de la CSA (Agencia Espacial Canadiense) Jeremy Hansen, en una misión alrededor de la Luna que durará cerca de 10 días.
Artemis II ayudará a comprobar el funcionamiento de los sistemas y el hardware necesarios para la exploración humana del espacio profundo. Esta misión es el primer vuelo tripulado de la campaña Artemis de la NASA, y es otro paso adelante hacia nuevas misiones tripuladas de Estados Unidos en la superficie de la Luna que ayudarán a la agencia a prepararse para enviar a astronautas estadounidenses a Marte.
Los eventos de las sesiones informativas de Artemis II serán transmitidos en vivo por el canal de YouTube y la cuenta de X de la agencia, en idioma inglés. Este enlace ofrece más información (en inglés) sobre cómo ver contenido a través de las diferentes plataformas de la NASA.
Después de las sesiones informativas, el 24 de septiembre la NASA ofrecerá una jornada para los medios de comunicación dedicada a Artemis II en el centro Johnson de la agencia, y mostrará las instalaciones de apoyo a la misión, los entrenadores y el hardware para las misiones Artemis. Asimismo, ofrecerá oportunidades de entrevistas con líderes, directores de vuelo, astronautas, científicos e ingenieros de esta campaña.
Los representantes de los medios que deseen participar en persona deben comunicarse con la sala de prensa del centro Johnson de la NASA llamando al teléfono 281-483-5111 o escribiendo al correo electrónico jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov, indicando a qué eventos desean asistir. Los medios confirmados recibirán detalles adicionales sobre su participación en estos eventos. Una copia de la política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible (en inglés) en el sitio web de la agencia. Los plazos de la acreditación de medios para la selección de candidatos a astronauta y los eventos de Artemis II son los siguientes:
Los miembros de medios de comunicación con ciudadanía estadounidense que estén interesados en asistir en persona deben confirmar su asistencia a más tardar a las 5 p. m. hora del este del miércoles 17 de septiembre. Los miembros de medios de comunicación sin ciudadanía estadounidense deben confirmar su asistencia a más tardar a las 5 p. m. del miércoles 10 de septiembre.
Los medios que soliciten entrevistas en persona o virtuales con los candidatos a astronautas, los expertos de Artemis o la tripulación de Artemis II deben enviar sus solicitudes a la sala de prensa del centro Johnson de la NASA antes del miércoles 17 de septiembre. Las solicitudes de entrevistas en persona están sujetas a los plazos de acreditación indicados anteriormente.
La información sobre la selección de candidatos a astronauta y los eventos de Artemis II, incluida la lista de participantes de las sesiones informativas, es la siguiente (todos los horarios son en hora del este de Estados Unidos):
Lunes, 22 de septiembre
12:30 p.m.: 2025: Ceremonia de selección de candidatos a astronauta de 2025
Martes, 23 de septiembre
11 a.m.: Informe general sobre la misión Artemis II
Lakiesha Hawkins, administradora adjunta interina, Dirección de Misiones de Desarrollo de Sistemas de Exploración, sede central de la NASA Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, directora de lanzamiento de Artemis II, Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida Jeff Radigan, director de vuelo principal de Artemis II, centro Johnson de la NASA Judd Frieling, director principal de vuelo de ascenso de Artemis II, centro Johnson de la NASA Rick Henfling, director principal de vuelo de ingreso de Artemis II, centro Johnson de la NASA Daniel Florez, director de pruebas, Sistemas Terrestres de Exploración, centro Kennedy de la NASA [Florez es hispanohablante] 1 p.m.: Sesión informativa sobre ciencia y tecnología de Artemis II
Matt Ramsey, gerente de la misión Artemis II, sede central de la NASA Howard Hu, gerente del programa Orion, centro Johnson de la NASA Jake Bleacher, gerente de Ciencia, Uso de Tecnología e Integración, Dirección de Misiones de Desarrollo de Sistemas de Exploración, sede central de ka BASA Mark Clampin, administrador adjunto interino, Dirección de Misiones Científicas, sede central de la NASA Los medios que deseen participar por teléfono deben solicitar información de acceso telefónico antes de las 5 p. m. del 22 de septiembre, enviando un correo electrónico a la sala de prensa del centro Johnson de la NASA.
Miércoles, 24 de septiembre
10 a.m.: Conferencia de prensa de la tripulación de Artemis II
Reid Wiseman, comandante Victor Glover, pilot o Christina Koch, especialista de misión Jeremy Hansen, especialista de misión Los medios que deseen participar por teléfono deben solicitar información de acceso telefónico antes de las 5 p. m. del 23 de septiembre, enviando un correo electrónico a la sala de prensa del centro Johnson de la NASA.
Encuentre más información sobre cómo la NASA lidera las iniciativas de vuelos espaciales tripulados en el sitio web (en inglés):
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space
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Jimi Russell / Rachel Kraft / María José Viñas
Sede central de la NASA, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov / rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov
Courtney Beasley / Chelsey Ballarte
Centro Espacial Johnson, Houston
281-910-4989
courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov / chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Aug 20, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
NASA en español Artemis Artemis 2 Candidate Astronauts Mars View the full article
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By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NuCLEUS, developed by Interstellar Lab, is an autonomous system that grows microgreens, vegetables, and more for astronauts to eat in space.Interstellar Lab NASA invests in technologies that have the potential to revolutionize space exploration, including the way astronauts live in space. Through the Deep Space Food Challenge, NASA, in partnership with CSA (Canadian Space Agency), sought novel food production systems that could provide long-duration human space exploration missions with safe, nutritious, and tasty food. Three winners selected last summer are now taking their technology to new heights – figuratively and literally – through commercial partnerships.
Interstellar Lab of Merritt Island, Florida, won the challenge’s $750,000 grand prize for its food production system NuCLEUS (Nutritional Closed-Loop Eco-Unit System), by demonstrating an autonomous operation growing microgreens, vegetables, and mushrooms, as well as sustaining insects for use in an astronaut’s diet. To address the requirements of the NASA challenge, NuCLEUS includes an irrigation system that sustains crop growth with minimal human intervention. This end-to-end system supplies fresh ingredients to support astronauts’ health and happiness, with an eye toward what the future of dining on deep space missions to Mars and the Moon may look like.
Since the close of the challenge, Interstellar Lab has partnered with aerospace company Vast to integrate a spinoff of NuCLEUS, called Eden 1.0, on Haven-1, a planned commercial space station. Eden 1.0 is a plant growth unit designed to conduct research on plants in a microgravity environment using functions directly stemming from NuCLEUS.
“The NASA Deep Space Food Challenge was a pivotal catalyst for Interstellar Lab, driving us to refine our NuCLEUS system and directly shaping the development of Eden 1.0, setting the stage for breakthroughs in plant growth research to sustain life both in space and on Earth,” said Barbara Belvisi, founder and CEO of Interstellar Lab.
Fuanyi Fobellah, one of the “Simunauts” from The Ohio State University who tested food production technologies as part of the Deep Space Food Challenge, removes a cooked omelet from the SATED appliance.NASA/Savannah Bullard Team SATED (Safe Appliance, Tidy, Efficient & Delicious) of Boulder, Colorado, earned a $250,000 second prize for its namesake appliance, which creates an artificial gravitational force that presses food ingredients against its heated inner surface for cooking. The technology was developed by Jim Sears, who entered the contest as a one-person team and has since founded the small business SATED Space LLC.
At the challenge finale event, the technology was introduced to the team of world-renowned chef and restaurant owner, José Andrés. The SATED technology is undergoing testing with the José Andrés Group, which could add to existing space food recipes that include lemon cake, pizza, and quiche. The SATED team also is exploring partnerships to expand the list of ingredients compatible with the appliance, such as synthetic cooking oils safe for space.
Delicious food was a top priority in the Deep Space Food Challenge. Sears noted the importance of food that is more than mere sustenance. “When extremely high performance is required, and the situations are demanding, tough, and lonely, the thing that pulls it all together and makes people operate at their best is eating fresh cooked food in community.”
Team Nolux won a $250,000 second-place prize for its Nolux food system that uses artificial photosynthesis to grow ingredients that could be used by astronauts in space.OSU/CFAES/Kenneth Chamberlain Team Nolux, formed from faculty members, graduate, and undergraduate students from the University of California, Riverside, also won a $250,000 second prize for its artificial photosynthesis system. The Nolux system – whose name means “no light” – grows plant and fungal-based foods in a dark chamber using acetate to chemically stimulate photosynthesis without light, a capability that could prove valuable in space with limited access to sunlight.
Some members of the Nolux team are now commercializing select aspects of the technology developed during the challenge. These efforts are being pursued through a newly incorporated company focused on refining the technology and exploring market applications.
A competition inspired by NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge will open this fall.
Stay tuned for more information: https://www.nasa.gov/prizes-challenges-and-crowdsourcing/centennial-challenges/
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA now is accepting proposals from student teams for a contest to design, build, and test rovers for Moon and Mars exploration through Sept. 15.
Known as the Human Exploration Rover Challenge, student rovers should be capable of traversing a course while completing mission tasks. The challenge handbook has guidelines for remote-controlled and human-powered divisions.
The cover of the HERC 2026 handbook, which is now available online. “Last year, we saw a lot of success with the debut of our remote-controlled division and the addition of middle school teams,” said Vemitra Alexander, the activity lead for the challenge at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “We’re looking forward to building on both our remote-controlled and human-powered divisions with new challenges for the students, including rover automation.”
This year’s mission mimics future Artemis missions to the lunar surface. Teams are challenged to test samples of soil, water, and air from sites along a half-mile course that includes a simulated field of asteroid debris, boulders, erosion ruts, crevasses, and an ancient streambed. Human-powered rover teams will play the role of two astronauts in a lunar terrain vehicle and must use a custom-built task tool to manually collect samples needed for testing. Remote-controlled rover teams will act as a pressurized rover, and the rover itself will contain the tools necessary to collect and test samples onboard.
“NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge creates opportunities for students to develop the skills they need to be successful STEM professionals,” said Alexander. “This challenge will help students see themselves in the mission and give them the hands-on experience needed to advance technology and become the workforce of tomorrow.”
Seventy-five teams comprised of more than 500 students participated in the agency’s 31st rover challenge in 2025. Participants represented 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools, across 20 states, Puerto Rico, and 16 nations around the world.
The 32nd annual competition will culminate with an in-person event April 9-11, 2026, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center near NASA Marshall.
The rover challenge is one of NASA’s Artemis Student Challenges, reflecting the goals of the Artemis campaign, which seeks to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars. NASA uses such challenges to encourage students to pursue degrees and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Since its inception in 1994, more than 15,000 students have participated in the rover challenge – with many former students now working at NASA or within the aerospace industry.
To learn more about HERC, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/
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Last Updated Aug 15, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms
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By NASA
Credit: NASA
As part of the agency’s initiative to return humanity to the Moon and eventually send the first astronaut – an American – to Mars, NASA is surveying industry for interest and feedback on a fission surface power system, through a Request for Information issued Thursday.
Earlier this month, NASA declared its intent to put a nuclear reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s to support lunar exploration, provide power generation on Mars, and strengthen national security in space.
“Today’s call for industry input is an important step toward engaging the commercial space industry in powering the lunar economy and enabling future human exploration on Mars,” said Steve Sinacore, Fission Surface Power program executive at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “Developing a safe, reliable, and efficient power supply is key to unlocking the future of human space exploration and ensuring America retains its dominance in space.”
Building on its previous work, NASA will work with industry to design a fission surface power system that would provide at least 100 kilowatts of electrical power, have a mass allocation of less than 15 metric tons, and use a closed Brayton cycle power conversion system, which converts heat to electricity.
NASA’s new Fission Surface Power effort builds on more than 60 years of agency experience in exploration technology. In 2022, NASA awarded three contracts for fission surface power system concepts for the Moon. In addition, NASA has used nuclear power sources in spacecraft and rovers over the years.
The size, weight, and power capability of fission systems make them an effective continuous power supply regardless of location. Additionally, a nuclear reactor could be placed in lunar regions where sunlight cannot reach and could sustain nights on the Moon which can last more than 14 Earth days near the poles.
Nuclear power is a key element for NASA’s Artemis missions and supporting a robust lunar economy. The Request for Information invites innovators to contribute to this effort, allowing NASA to access industry expertise and bolstering American ingenuity.
Responses to the Request for Information are due Thursday, Aug. 21, and could be used to finalize a potential opportunity later this year.
The Fission Surface Power effort is managed through NASA Glenn. The power system development is funded by the agency’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Moon to Mars Program.
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Last Updated Aug 14, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Glenn Research Center Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Fission Surface Power View the full article
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By NASA
NASA announced 10 winning teams for its latest TechLeap Prize — the Space Technology Payload Challenge — on June 26. The winners emerged from a record-breaking field of more than 200 applicants to earn cash prizes worth up to $500,000, if they have a flight-ready unit. Recipients may also have the opportunity to flight test their technologies.
NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) division is supporting the emerging space economy through challenges like TechLeap. The projects receive funding through the Commercially Enabled Rapid Space Science (CERISS) initiative, which pairs government research goals with commercial innovation.
Two awardees’ capabilities specifically address BPS research priorities, which include conducting investigations that inform future space crops and advance precision health.
Ambrosia Space Manufacturing Corporation is developing a centrifuge system to separate nutrients from cell cultures — potentially creating space-based food processing that could turn algae into digestible meals for astronauts.
Helogen Corporation is building an automated laboratory system that can run biological experiments without requiring astronaut involvement and may be able to transmit real-time data to researchers on Earth without having to wait for physical samples to return.
“The innovations of these small- and midsize businesses could enable NASA to accelerate the pace of critical research,” says Dan Walsh, BPS’s program executive for CERISS. “It’s also an example of NASA enabling the emerging space industry to grow and thrive beyond big corporations.”
Small Packages with Big Ambitions
Every inch and ounce counts on a spacecraft, which means the winning teams have to think small while solving big problems.
Commercial companies play a pivotal role in enabling space-based research — they bring fresh approaches to ongoing challenges. But space missions demand a different kind of innovation, and TechLeap teams face both time and size constraints for their experiments.
Winners have six to nine months to demonstrate that their concepts work. That’s a significant contrast from traditional space technology development, which can stretch for years.
The research serves a larger purpose as well. The technology helps NASA “know before we go” on longer, deep-space missions to the Moon and Mars. Understanding how technologies behave in microgravity or extreme environments can prevent costly failures when astronauts are far from Earth.
Small investments in proof-of-concept technologies can bring in a high ROI. With the TechLeap Prize, BPS is betting that big ideas will come in small packages.
Related Resources
TechLeap Prize – Space Technology Payload Challenge (STPC)
Space Technology Payload Challenge Winners
Commercially Enabled Rapid Space Science Initiative
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