RASC-AL Competition

Funding Agency:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA is pioneering the future of space exploration as we extend humanity’s presence further into the solar system. The 2022 RASC-AL Competition is seeking undergraduate and graduate teams to develop new concepts that leverage innovation to improve our ability to operate on the moon, Mars, and beyond. This year’s themes range from operations for extending mobility and enabling sample return on the Moon to large-scale in-situ resource utilization of water on Mars. Each team’s response should address novel and robust applications to support expanding humanity’s ability to thrive beyond Earth.

Deadlines:

  • Notice of Intent Deadline: October 14, 2021
  • Proposal and Video Deadline: March 1, 2022

Agency Website

http://rascal.nianet.org/competition-details/

Areas of Interest

  • Portable Utility Pallet Theme
  • Universal Sample Containment System
  • Mars Water-based ISRU Architecture
  • Suitport Logistics Carrier Theme

Eligibility Requirements

The RASC-AL Program is open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at an accredited U.S.-based university. Teams may include senior capstone students, clubs, multi-university teams, or multi-disciplinary teams.

UNIVERSITY DESIGN TEAMS MUST INCLUDE:

  • Team sizes vary widely, but must contain, at a minimum, one faculty or industry advisor with a university affiliation at a U.S.-based institution, and 2 students from a U.S.-based university who work on the project and present at the RASC-AL Forum. There is no limit to the number of participants on each team, however, please contact the program staff if you plan to bring more than 12 participants to the RASC-AL Forum.
  • One faculty advisor is required to attend the Forum with each team, and is a condition for acceptance into the RASC-AL Competition. Teams who do not have a faculty advisor present at the annual RASC-AL Forum will be disqualified from competing and stipends will be subject to return to NIA.

Funding Type

Prize

Eligibility

Faculty
Grad/Prof Students

Category

Engineering and Physical Sciences

External Deadline

October 14, 2021