NASA opened the Lunar Grounding Challenge on October 5, 2026, inviting concepts for safely discharging a spacesuit before an astronaut touches a lunar lander. Submissions are due January 15, 2027, and the total prize pool is up to $150,000, according to NASA’s challenge announcement.
The contest addresses a real engineering hazard: a charged suit approaching a lander could experience an electrostatic discharge. NASA’s specified voltage scenario is a design condition for the competition, not a measurement from a lunar mission.
Why a lunar spacesuit can build up charge
Walking can charge a spacesuit through friction, a process called tribocharging; interactions with the surrounding plasma can add charge as well. In shadows and permanently shadowed regions, the absence of photoelectron emission and ambient ion flux can intensify negative charge buildup.
A sunlit lander is expected to have a slightly positive electrical potential. If a negatively charged astronaut approaches it, the difference in potential may cause a discharge. A rapid discharge could damage suit layers or electronics, threaten the oxygen-rich suit environment, or shock the crew, NASA says.
The electrical case and safety limits
NASA Tournament Lab sets the design case at an astronaut potential of −100 kV or greater and a lander at approximately +100 V. The proposed system is meant to bring the suited astronaut to electrical equilibrium before direct interaction with the lander. The contest also specifies current, mass and operating constraints in its challenge requirements.
| Design dimension | Challenge condition | Context |
| Voltage scenario | Astronaut at −100 kV or greater; lander at approximately +100 V | Contest design case |
| Current at the suit interface | Maximum 1.0 mA; target at or below 0.2 mA | Discharge current |
| Arc and contact | A non-arcing discharge is sought; any arc must not contact the suit or astronaut | Safety condition |
| Discharge time | 30 seconds | Listed worst-case duration |
| Mass and other impacts | Less than 20 kg | Minimize mass, volume and power impacts |
| Operating endurance | Up to four EVAs over 10 days | Lunar surface conditions |
| Astronaut electrical model | 200 pF | Contest assumption for capacitance |
| Surface gravity | 0.165 g | Lunar design input |
| Temperature | −361°F to −31°F | Described as the Artemis IV average temperature range |
| Dust particle size | Approximately 0.02 μm to 10 μm | Lunar dust design input |
| Attachment points | Bonding points on the suit and lander | Electrical interfaces |
| Lander power | Up to 40 W if needed | Available power, not a device-consumption limit |
The attachment points give the concepts specified electrical interfaces. The power assumption is also bounded: the lander may supply up to 40 W if needed, and powered heaters may be provided if required. That figure describes available lander power, not a limit on the proposed device’s consumption.
Entry and contest phases
NASA Tournament Lab lists the challenge as open for submissions and free to enter. Phase 1 calls for a concept; it does not require fabrication or physical prototype testing. Up to five finalists may advance to Phase 2, where they can refine their concepts using written reviewer feedback before final judging.
The submission deadline is January 15, 2027, and NASA lists up to $150,000 in total prizes.
