NASA needs concepts on methods to create emergency response plans for future missions to the moon.
The house company’s South Pole Security problem focuses on the event of modern options for a compact, environment friendly system that astronauts can use within the occasion of an emergency throughout extravehicular actions (EVAs) on the lunar floor. Individuals are requested to submit technical design ideas that might be tailored for NASA’s Artemis program.
“If an astronaut crew member turns into incapacitated throughout a mission, the flexibility to return them safely and promptly to the human touchdown system is crucial,” NASA officers stated in an announcement asserting the problem.
The upcoming Artemis 3 mission — the primary crewed moon touchdown mission of the Artemis program anticipated to launch no sooner than September 2026 — is concentrating on to land close to the lunar south pole, the place two astronaut crewmembers will conduct EVAs.
Associated: Watch NASA unveil touchdown websites for Artemis 3 human return to the moon right now
The challenges of the lunar atmosphere, together with massive rocks and craters, low gravity, distinctive lighting circumstances and excessive temperatures, could make it tough to navigate and work. This, in flip, might result in unexpected circumstances wherein an astronaut is injured or experiences a medical emergency.
That is why NASA’s South Pole Security problem is searching for the design of an answer that may enable a single crewmember to securely transport one other totally incapacitated, suited crewmember (weighing as much as 343 kg or about 755lb) again to the human touchdown system.
The answer should account for crewmembers touring distances as much as 1.24 miles (2 kilometers) away and throughout a slope of as much as 20 levels throughout an EVA. It additionally requires that the rescue plan not depend on a lunar rover for transporting the incapacitated crew member again to the lander. Individuals’ design ideas should even be low in mass and simply deployed by a single crewmember within the excessive atmosphere of the lunar south pole, based on the problem web page hosted on the crowdsourcing platform HeroX.com.
“Your creativity and experience might bridge this important hole, enhancing the security measures for future lunar explorers,” NASA officers stated within the assertion. “By addressing this problem, you may have the chance to contribute to the subsequent ‘large leap’ in human house exploration.”
Design ideas might be submitted by people or a workforce by means of Jan. 23, 2025. For extra info on the problem together with tips and methods to take part, go to the HeroX web page on-line. A complete of $45,000 in prize cash can be distributed amongst 5 successful contributors, together with a primary and second place winner and as much as three third place winners, who can be introduced on Feb. 27, 2025.
