NASA is initiating the Lunar Grounding Challenge to find solutions for safely discharging astronauts from high charge buildup during EVAs in the lunar South Pole, offering up to $150,000 in prizes.
Why it matters. Astronauts must safely interact with the lander without risking damage to their suits or electronics.
Through the Lunar Grounding Challenge, NASA is seeking innovative designs and operational solutions to provide a lunar bringing to equilibrium capability to safely discharge a suited astronaut from high triboelectric charge buildup during lunar surface EVAs in the South Pole. This challenge seeks innovative concepts for an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) mitigation solution to neutralize the astron…
As an astronaut traverses the lunar South Pole, tribocharging from walking on the lunar surface and plasma charging from the ambient plasma generate electric charge on the spacesuit. This problem is severely compounded when entering lunar shadows and Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs). In these dark zones, the spacesuit can buildup a substantial negative potential due to a lack of ambient ion fl…
Challenge Open Date: October 5, 2026
Through the Lunar Grounding Challenge, NASA is seeking innovative designs and operational solutions to provide a lunar bringing to equilibrium capability to safely discharge a suited astronaut from high triboelectric charge buildup during lunar surface EVAs in the South Pole.
Artist’s rendering of the lunar South Pole region.
Award: Up to $150,000 in prizes
Submissions Close Date: January 15, 2027
