NASA announced a challenge for U.S. university teams to develop systems-level solutions to improve communications between vehicles and lunar operations sites. Notices of intent to participate are accepted until October 15, 2026, while proposals are due March 4, 2027.
NASA announced the opening of participation in the 2027 Human Lunar Vehicle Challenge, which this time focuses on developing ideas to improve lunar communications and support operations associated with human landing and exploration. The challenge targets teams of students from colleges and universities located in the United States, with participation from faculty advisers.
NASA believes reliable communications will be an essential element of long-term human presence plans on the Moon under the Artemis and Moon Base programs, because they will connect astronauts with rovers, habitats, landers, and mission support teams on Earth. In a distant and complex lunar environment, communications quality is directly linked to safety, operational coordination, and the speed of decision-making.
What Is NASA Looking For?
The agency is inviting teams to submit systems-level solutions that can be implemented within a period of three to five years, with a focus on understanding, establishing, and improving the performance of lunar communications for lander operations and surface activities. NASA identified three main areas:
- Hardware: Wireless networks and space-qualified electronics, along with modeling antenna signal propagation and addressing environmental factors.
- Software: Increasing data efficiency and improving links, as well as network management and communications scheduling.
- Architecture: Designing architectures for communications systems on the surface and in orbit.
Proposals are not necessarily limited to these areas, as NASA allows other ideas related to the challenge’s objective.
Deadlines and Awards
Teams interested in participating must submit a nonbinding notice of intent to participate by Thursday, October 15, 2026. The proposal package includes a five- to seven-page document and a two-minute video, and must be submitted no later than March 4, 2027.
After evaluating the first phase, NASA will select up to 12 finalist teams, each of which will receive $9,000 and advance to the second phase. This phase includes a final design review in Huntsville, Alabama, from June 21 to 24, 2027. At its conclusion, the top three teams will share a total prize of $18,000.
Why Does This News Matter?
The challenge shows that communications are no longer a support function in lunar exploration plans, but rather part of the operational infrastructure that must be designed in parallel with vehicles and launch vehicles. The competition’s scope also brings together hardware, software, and architecture, reflecting the multilayered nature of the problem rather than reducing it to improving a single antenna or link.
However, participation is restricted to U.S.-based university teams, and the source does not specify uniform technical requirements or detailed testing environments for the proposed solutions. The National Institute of Aerospace will manage the challenge on behalf of NASA, under the sponsorship of the Human Landing Systems Program Office within the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate.