Sponsored by NASA’s Centennial Challenges program, university and private developer teams are competing for prizes by building 6 unit CubeSats then demonstrating superior performance in one of two divisions, the Lunar Derby – in lunar orbit – or the Deep Space Derby – 2.5 million miles from Earth. From these two arenas, competitors attempt to achieve any or all of the contest goals including: highest data communications rate; transmission of the largest volume of data within a specified time frame, data transmission from the farthest range beyond 2.5 million miles; and/or longest survival in the deep space environment. There is also a prize for achieving lunar orbit. To ensure data integrity, each satellite must transmit NASA-provided communications data to be eligible for prizes. NASA believes that CubeSats with these kinds of capabilities will contribute to new and more affordable missions to explore the Moon and beyond.
More »The Challenge is designed to foster innovations in propulsion and communications of "shoebox-sized" CubeSats beyond Low Earth Orbit- in lunar orbit and beyond (4,000,000 kilometers from Earth).
More »Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
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Ames Research Center (ARC) | Lead Organization | NASA Center | Moffett Field, California |
Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) | Supporting Organization | Other US Government | Notre Dame, Indiana |
Federal Communications Commission | Supporting Organization | Other US Government | |
Glenn Research Center (GRC) | Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Cleveland, Ohio |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) | Supporting Organization | FFRDC/UARC | Pasadena, California |
San Jose State University | Supporting Organization |
Academia
Asian American Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI),
Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI)
|
San Jose, California |
Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) | Supporting Organization | NASA Facility | Wallops Island, Virginia |