NASA Human Lander

NASA has announced the winners of the 2026 Human Lander Challenge, a competition that aims to develop innovative solutions for environmental control and life support systems in future crewed lunar landers. The challenge, which is part of the agency's Artemis program, saw university teams from across the nation design and present their solutions to a panel of experts.

The top three winners were California Polytechnic State University, Purdue University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, who received awards of $10,000, $5,000, and $3,000 respectively. The winning projects included a Peltier-based Hydration Accumulation Terminal, an Enhanced Potable Water Dispenser, and an Advanced Quality Orbital Rehydration Assembly.

The Human Lander Challenge is designed to inspire and engage the next generation of engineers and scientists, while also advancing the technologies needed for astronauts to explore deep space. The competition is sponsored by NASA's Human Landing System Program and administered by the National Institute of Aerospace.