Lunar Payload Design Challenge

The U.S. Department of State's U.S. Mission to the UAE is announcing an open competition to implement the Lunar Payload Design Challenge. This program brings together U.S. and UAE graduate students in a hands-on, team-based initiative to develop technologies relevant to future lunar missions. The program aims to strengthen U.S.-UAE cooperation in space innovation, highlight U.S. leadership in lunar exploration, and create pathways for continued collaboration, research advancement, and potential mission integration. • The program will engage at least 30 graduate students from qualified institutions in team-based development of payload or mission-support concepts aligned with lunar exploration priorities. • The program will increase participants' understanding of U.S. leadership in space technology, particularly in lunar exploration initiatives, and enhance awareness of opportunities for collaboration with U.S. institutions, agencies, and industry partners. • The program will support the development of at least 1-3 viable payload or technology concepts with potential applicability to future lunar missions.