Advancing Lunar Excavation Technology with the Break the Ice Lunar Challenge
CLIENT
NASA - Centennial Challenge Program
INDUSTRY
- Space
01
CASE
Lunar Excavation & Robotics Prize Challenge
02
Overview
The NASA Break the Ice Lunar Challenge (BTIL) aimed to develop innovative technologies to support sustained human presence on the Moon by addressing key technology gaps in resource harvesting and movement, particularly in extreme lunar environments. Under NASA’s Artemis program, this challenge focused on creating robotic systems capable of operating in the permanently shadowed regions at the lunar South Pole, advancing NASA’s goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon by the end of the decade.
NASA’s Centennial Challenge Program (CCP) administers multi-year grand challenges to engage the public in the process of advanced technology development by offering large incentive prizes to generate revolutionary solutions to problems of interest for NASA and the nation. We were tasked with delivering the end-to-end innovation services required to design, build, launch, and administer a lunar excavation and mining challenge aimed at crowdsourcing novel concepts to extract and transport icy regolith on the Moon.
03
OUR
Approach
As a prize challenge design and operations partner, we delivered key services to execute the NASA Break the Ice Lunar Challenge (BTIL). Our comprehensive approach encompassed a wide array of services aimed at ensuring the challenge’s success:
Challenge Brand Identity Development
- Developed brand assets including the challenge logo and imagery.
- Created dynamic web pages to highlight all phases and mission scenarios.
- Produced social media content for NASA, Ensemble, and stakeholders.
- Drafted press release language for NASA and published blogs for the challenge launch and winners’ announcements.
Challenge Rules and Requirements Revision
- Ensured clarity and comprehensiveness in the challenge rules and guidelines.
- Maintained a central destination to upload necessary files and shared updates through an FAQ page.
Targeted Communications and Participant Engagement
- Successfully engaged numerous teams from around the world through continuous support and guidance.
- Utilized a dedicated email admin account for all participant communications over three years, streamlining registration, submission processes, and information dissemination.
- Ensured consistent and timely responses to participant inquiries, maintained records of all communications, and provided ongoing assistance and updates.
Challenge Website Design and Upkeep
- Designed and developed a custom Challenge CMS platform and landing page.
- Created dynamic pages to highlight all phases and mission scenarios.
- Shared all challenge rules and guidelines with downloadable assets.
Participation Questions and Concerns Management
- Facilitated a smooth operation of both phases of the challenge by resolving queries and providing necessary guidance.
- Enabled efficient collection of feedback and implementation of improvements, enhancing participant experience and satisfaction.
Comprehensive Eligibility Verification
- Reviewed all submitted documentation to verify participant eligibility according to the challenge rules.
- Ensured that participants provided necessary proof of eligibility before approving their registration.
Financial Responsibility Assessment
- Required participants to submit proof of insurance to cover potential liabilities.
- Collected and verified banking details from participants to facilitate secure and transparent prize distribution and financial transactions.
Virtual Judging Facilitation and Assistance with Judge Recruitment
- Assisted in onboarding and recruiting a panel of technical judges to evaluate and score submissions.
- Facilitated an orientation webinar and created an Excel scorecard for judges.
- Fielded questions from judges regarding the process and collected and aggregated scores to compile a ranked order list of winners.
Marketing and Branding Support
- Promoted the challenge and webinars on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (X) through Ensemble, NASA, and other stakeholders’ channels.
- Developed social content for NASA’s social channels focusing on awareness, education, registration, and activation/participation.
Through these comprehensive services, we ensured the smooth execution and success of the NASA Break the Ice Lunar Challenge, engaging numerous teams and advancing NASA’s goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
05
Results
Our efforts have generated successful initial performance metrics, positioning the Prize Challenge to be successful. 374 teams registered for Phase 1 of the Break the Ice Lunar Challenge. The participation of registrants is highly diverse, with people and organizations from 31 states and 48 countries engaged in the program. There have been over 26,000 sessions on the BTIL Website, and over 1,000 eligibility form downloads. Out of 374 registered participants, 42 teams from the United States and 18 international teams took part in the challenge.
The end of Phase 1 of the Prize Challenge resulted in 31 eligible submissions that resulted in 13 teams eligible for cash prizes.
In Phase 2, Level 1, 15 teams were awarded an equal share of the $500,000 prize pool. These teams represented a diverse range of locations across the United States and internationally, including Alaska, California, Kansas, Washington, Michigan, New York, the Netherlands, Virginia, Florida, South Dakota, India, and Colorado.
Phase 2, Level 2 saw further advancements, with the following results:
- Starpath Robotics (San Francisco, California) won first place, receiving $300,000.
- Terra Engineering (Gardena, California) secured second place, earning $200,000.
- The Ice Diggers (Golden, Colorado) took third place, winning $125,000.
Additionally, three teams were named as runners-up, each receiving $75,000:
- Cislune Excavators (Los Angeles, California)
- Space Trajectory (Brookings, South Dakota)
- MTU Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab (Houghton, Michigan)
The total prize money awarded in Phase 2, Level 2 amounted to $850,000.
Phase 2, Level 3, the final stage of the challenge, concluded with the following results:
- Terra Engineering won first place, receiving $1,000,000.
- Starpath Robotics secured second place, earning $500,000.
The total prize money awarded in Phase 2, Level 3 was $1,500,000.
Furthermore, three US teams earned top spots in the excavation event and were each awarded a NASA thermal vacuum chamber test of their robotic technology:
- Terra Engineering
- Starpath Robotics
- MTU-PSTDL (Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab)
The Break the Ice Lunar Challenge has demonstrated significant progress and achievement, showcasing the development of cutting-edge solutions for lunar regolith excavation and transportation. This competition has successfully attracted a diverse array of participants globally, catalyzing the advancement of technologies essential for future lunar missions and in-situ resource utilization.
The challenge’s multi-phase structure and substantial prize pool have effectively stimulated innovation in critical areas such as excavation efficiency, energy conservation, and equipment durability, directly addressing NASA’s identified technology gaps. The culmination of the challenge in a head-to-head competition at a NASA-designated facility further underscores the practical applicability of the developed technologies, bringing us closer to sustainable lunar operations.
