Northwestern College Takes Prime Honors in BIG Concept Lunar Inflatables Problem 

Following eight months of intense analysis, design, and prototyping, six college groups introduced their “Inflatable Techniques for Lunar Operations” ideas to a panel of judges at NASA’s 2024 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Challenge discussion board. 

The problem, funded by NASA’s Area Expertise Mission Directorate and Workplace of STEM Engagement, seeks novel concepts from increased training on a brand new matter every year and helps the company’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative in growing new approaches and modern applied sciences to pave the way in which for profitable exploration on the floor of the Moon. This yr, groups have been requested to develop low Measurement, Weight, and Energy inflatable applied sciences, constructions and programs that would profit future Artemis missions to the Moon and past. 

Taking high honors at this yr’s discussion board receiving the Artemis Award was Northwestern College with Nationwide Aerospace Company & IMS Engineered Merchandise, with their idea titled METALS: Metallic Expandable Expertise for Artemis Lunar Buildings. The Artemis Award is given to the group whose idea has the perfect potential to contribute to and be built-in into an Artemis mission.  

METALS is an inflatable system for long run cryogenic fluid storage on the Moon. Stacked layers of sheet steel are welded alongside their aligned edges, stacked inside a rocket, and inflated as soon as on the lunar floor. The manufacturing course of is scalable, dependable, and easy. Notably, METALS boasts superior efficiency within the harsh lunar atmosphere, together with resistance towards radiation, abrasion, micrometeorites, fuel permeability, and temperature extremes.

Arizona State College took dwelling the 2024 BIG Concept Problem Techniques Engineering prize for his or her challenge, AEGIS: Inflatable Lunar Touchdown Pad System. The AEGIS system is designed to deflect the exhaust gasses of lunar landers thereby decreasing regolith, or Moon mud, disturbances generated throughout touchdown. The system is deployed on the lunar floor the place it makes use of 6 anchors in its base to safe itself to the bottom. As soon as inflated to its deployed measurement of 14 m in diameter, AEGIS offers a reusable precision touchdown zone for incoming landers.

This yr’s discussion board was held in tandem with the Lunar Floor Innovation Consortium’s (LSIC) Fall Assembly on the College of Nevada, Las Vegas, the place college students had the chance to community with NASA and business specialists, attend LSIC panels and shows, and take part within the technical poster session. The consortium offers a discussion board for NASA to speak technological necessities, wants, and alternatives, and for the neighborhood to share with NASA present capabilities and significant gaps. 

In February, groups submitted proposal packages, from which six finalists have been chosen for funding of as much as $150,000 relying on every group’s prototype and price range. The finalists then labored for eight months designing, growing, and demonstrating their ideas. The 2024 BIG Concept program concluded at its annual discussion board, the place groups introduced their outcomes and answered questions from judges. Consultants from NASA, Johns Hopkins Utilized Physics Laboratory, and different aerospace corporations evaluated the scholar ideas primarily based on technical innovation, credibility, administration, and the groups’ verification testing. Along with the presentation, the groups offered a technical paper and poster detailing their proposed inflatable system for lunar operations. 

NASA’s Area Expertise Mission Directorate sponsors the BIG Concept Problem by a collaboration between its Sport Altering Growth program and the company’s Workplace of STEM Engagement. It’s managed by a partnership between the Nationwide Institute of Aerospace and Johns Hopkins Utilized Physics Laboratory.   

Crew shows, technical papers, and digital posters can be found on the BIG Idea website.       

For full competitors particulars, go to:  https://bigidea.nianet.org/2024-challenge