NASA has named the six finalists in a multi-phase competition to develop lunar excavation and transport technologies designed to dig and move icy “dirt” on the lunar surface.
Starpath Robotics, Terra Engineering, The Ice Diggers, Cislune Excavators, Space Trajectory and the Michigan Technological University’s Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab will compete in the final round of the Break the Ice Lunar Challenge, NASA said Wednesday.
During the last round of the competition, the finalists will deliver their prototypes to a NASA-designated test facility for scenario-based testing. Excavation tools will perform under reduced gravity while transportation technologies will navigate complex terrain, including craters, slopes and loose granular soil.
“Bringing the competitors to one central location is the best way to end a challenge like Break the Ice because it provides us with an opportunity to observe and test their designs in a common relevant environment,” said Mark Hilburger, a senior research engineer in the Space Technology Exploration Directorate at NASA’s Langley Research Center.
The first place will receive a $1 million cash prize and the second place will secure $500,000.
Winning teams will also get the opportunity to test their concepts at one of NASA’s Thermal Vacuum Chambers, which can simulate the Lunar South Pole’s atmospheric pressure conditions and temperature.
