![\"RASC-AL](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/rascal.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>Fourteen university teams have been selected as finalists for NASA\u2019s 2025 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems \u2013 Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition. This year\u2019s competition invited undergraduate and graduate students from across the nation to develop new, innovative concepts to improve our ability to operate on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Finalists will present their proposed concepts to a panel of NASA and aerospace industry leaders.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 2025 Finalists are:\u00a0<\/p>\n
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- Sustained Lunar Evolution \u2013 An Inspirational Moment:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, <\/strong>\u201cM.I.S.T.R.E.S.S. \u2013 Moon Infrastructure for Sustainable Technologies, Resource Extraction, and Self-Sufficiency\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Tulane University, <\/strong>\u201cScalable Constructs for Advanced Lunar Activities and Research (SCALAR)\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, <\/strong>\u201cProject Aeneas\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,<\/strong> \u201cProject Khonsu\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Auburn University, <\/strong>\u201cDynamic Ecosystems for Mars ECLSS Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER)\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, <\/strong>\u201cMATER: Mars Architecture for Technology Evaluation and Research\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, <\/strong>\u201cProject Vehicles for Engineering Surface Terrain Architectures (VESTA)\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Arizona State University, <\/strong>\u201cDIANA \u2013 Diagnostic and Intelligent Autonomously Navigated Assistant\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- South Dakota State University, <\/strong>\u201cNext-gen Operations and Versatile Assistant (NOVA)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- South Dakota State University, <\/strong>\u201cMANTIS: Maintenance and Navigation for Technical Infrastructure Support\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Texas A&M University,<\/strong> \u201cR.A.M.S.E.E.: Robotic Autonomous Maintenance System for Extraterrestrial Environments\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- University of Maryland, <\/strong>\u201cServicing Crane Outfitted Rover for Payloads, Inspection, Operations, N\u2019stuff (SCORPION)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- University of Puerto Rico, Mayag\u00fcez, <\/strong>\u201cMulti-functional Operational Rover for Payload Handling and Navigation (MORPHN)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, <\/strong>\u201cAdaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The RASC-AL Competition is designed to engage university students and academic institutions in innovation within the field of aerospace engineering. By providing a platform for students to develop and present their ideas, NASA aims to cultivate foundational research for new concepts and technologies for the future of space exploration. This year\u2019s RASC-AL projects include scalable lunar infrastructure and services, a lunar robot that can work autonomously or be controlled remotely, and a concept for a science or technology demonstration mission using human-scale launch, transportation, entry, and landing capabilities at Mars. All of these functions are critical to future NASA missions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s RASC-AL projects are not just academic exercises; they will contribute real solutions to some of the most pressing challenges we currently face. The competition continues to highlight the importance of innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration in aerospace,\u201d said Daniel Mazanek, RASC-AL program sponsor and senior space systems engineer from NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
These finalist teams will move forward to the next phase of the competition, where they will prepare and submit a detailed technical paper outlining their designs, methodologies, and anticipated impacts. Each team will present their concepts at the 2025 RASC-AL Competition Forum in June 2025 showcasing their work to a judging panel of NASA and industry experts for review and discussion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ingenuity and out-of-the-box designs showcased by these students is inspiring,\u201d added Dr. Christopher Jones, RASC-AL program sponsor and chief technologist for the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate at NASA\u2019S Langley\u00a0 \u201cWe are excited to see how their ideas can contribute to NASA\u2019s ongoing missions and future exploration goals. This is just the beginning of their journey, and we are proud to be part of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
To learn more about NASA\u2019s RASC-AL Competition, visit NASA\u2019s RASC-AL Competition Website<\/a>. RASC-AL is sponsored by the Strategy and Architecture Office within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and by the Space Mission Analysis Branch within the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate at NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center. It is administered by the National Institute of Aerospace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genevieve Ebarle \/ Victoria O\u2019Leary<\/strong><\/em>
National Institute of Aerospace<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nPowered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n
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\nJoseph Scott Atkinson <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fourteen university teams have been selected as finalists for NASA\u2019s 2025 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems \u2013 Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition. This year\u2019s competition invited undergraduate and graduate students from across the nation to develop new, innovative concepts to improve our ability to operate on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Finalists will present their proposed concepts to [\u2026] Continue reading
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, <\/strong>\u201cAdaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- University of Puerto Rico, Mayag\u00fcez, <\/strong>\u201cMulti-functional Operational Rover for Payload Handling and Navigation (MORPHN)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- University of Maryland, <\/strong>\u201cServicing Crane Outfitted Rover for Payloads, Inspection, Operations, N\u2019stuff (SCORPION)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Texas A&M University,<\/strong> \u201cR.A.M.S.E.E.: Robotic Autonomous Maintenance System for Extraterrestrial Environments\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- South Dakota State University, <\/strong>\u201cMANTIS: Maintenance and Navigation for Technical Infrastructure Support\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- South Dakota State University, <\/strong>\u201cNext-gen Operations and Versatile Assistant (NOVA)\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Arizona State University, <\/strong>\u201cDIANA \u2013 Diagnostic and Intelligent Autonomously Navigated Assistant\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, <\/strong>\u201cProject Vehicles for Engineering Surface Terrain Architectures (VESTA)\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, <\/strong>\u201cMATER: Mars Architecture for Technology Evaluation and Research\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Auburn University, <\/strong>\u201cDynamic Ecosystems for Mars ECLSS Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER)\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,<\/strong> \u201cProject Khonsu\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, <\/strong>\u201cProject Aeneas\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Tulane University, <\/strong>\u201cScalable Constructs for Advanced Lunar Activities and Research (SCALAR)\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, <\/strong>\u201cM.I.S.T.R.E.S.S. \u2013 Moon Infrastructure for Sustainable Technologies, Resource Extraction, and Self-Sufficiency\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n