NASA is offering $20,000 to anyone who can solve issue facing 2026 Moon mission
The 'Dark side of the Moon' presents a whole new set of challenge
The space race is heating up once again, and as NASA reaches for the stars (well, the Moon), 2027's Artemis III mission is something of a big deal.
With Artemis III expected to launch in 2027, it's the first crewed Moon landing since Eugene A. Cernan was the last person to walk on its surface on December 14, 1972.
Two astronauts are set to spend a week at the chilly South Pole of the Moon, with four astronauts launching aboard the Orion spacecraft but only two landing via the Starship HLS lunar lander.
Some are worried we've forgotten how to walk on the Moon because it's been so long, but with technology having come such a long way since 1972, NASA's billions look like they're being spent well.
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There are new problems facing a return to the Moon, and now, NASA is turning to you to lend a hand. Better yet, anyone who can come up with valid inventions or ideas for NASA's South Pole Safety Challenge could be paid $20,000 for their efforts.
As the South Pole is bathed in darkness, there are deep craters that hopefully contain ice and water that will help in research for potential manned missions to Mars.
As temperatures are expected to get as low as -203°C, the even harsher conditions have NASA planning for every inevitability. The South Pole Safety Challenge is looking for a way to rescue astronauts in "low gravity, unique lighting conditions and extreme temperatures."
NASA is recruiting the general public for help with the 'Lunar Rescue System', seeking "a cutting-edge design that is low in mass and easy to deploy, enabling one astronaut crewmember to safely transport their suited (343 kg) and fully incapacitated partner back to the human landing system."
The space agency continues: "Your creativity and expertise could bridge this critical gap, enhancing the safety measures for future lunar explorers. By addressing this challenge, you have the opportunity to contribute to the next “giant leap” in human space exploration."
The Lunar Rescue System is part of a larger $45,000 prize pool, but note that the design needs to be practical, easy to deploy by one person, and transport an injured crew member up to 2km across the Moon's inhospitable terrain at angles of up to 20 degrees.
Artemis III is due to be followed by a second crewed mission with new landing technology in 2028 (Artemis IV), a third landing with the Lunar Terrain Vehicle in 2030 (Artemis V), and integration between the Crew and Science Airlock with the Lunar Gateway station penciled in for 2031 (Artemis VI).
Heading to this unknown region of the Moon shows how far we've come since Neil Armstrong first made 'one small step', and while an iPhone has over 100,000 times the processing power of the Apollo 11's computer, NASA faces a very different set of problems in 2024 and beyond.
If you think you've got the perfect solution to NASA's Moon exploration, you've got until January 23, 2025, to submit your ideas and potentially claim that $20,000 prize.