On August 28, NASA announced that a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) won the first prize in the second phase of the LunaRecycle Challenge. The competition aimed to develop solutions that minimize waste during missions to the Moon or deep space by recycling common materials such as fabrics, plastics, foams, and metals.
The MIT team, known as CERBERUZ, received a total of $775,000 in prize money. Their technology grinds mixed waste into fine powder, which can then be used for injection-molded parts or as filament for 3D printing. This approach allows materials like Zotek foam to be used as reinforcements rather than being treated as contaminants.
Jennifer Edmunson, head of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center Centennial Challenges program, described the LunaRecycle Challenge as the culmination of two years of innovation. "It's incredible to see these technologies evolve from concept to prototype and digital twin demonstrations during this period," Edmunson stated.
The LunaRecycle is a $3 million, two-phase competition organized by NASA in collaboration with the University of Alabama's Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering. In the second phase, 14 finalist teams gathered at the university to showcase their technological prototypes. Participants ranged from university students and faculty to entrepreneurs and space technology enthusiasts.
Chris Frangione, manager of the LunaRecycle Challenge, emphasized how collaborations can lead to remarkable solutions. "The collaboration between the solution teams, the University of Alabama, and NASA demonstrates what can be achieved when we combine resources and great ideas for a common goal," Frangione said.
The second phase awards follow the success of the first phase, which garnered record interest from the global innovator community with over 1,200 registrations. In the first phase, participants could submit designs for either or both the prototype and digital twin tracks. By the end of the first phase in 2025, nearly 200 submissions were evaluated by 50 judges, and 17 teams were selected as winners, representing five countries and nine U.S. states.
The LunaRecycle Challenge is hosted by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center Centennial Challenges program, part of NASA's Research and Technology Mission Directorate's Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program. With over 20 years of history, NASA's Centennial Challenges engage the public in solving complex problems that support broader NASA initiatives. Previous challenges have advanced robotics, additive manufacturing, power, textiles, chemistry, and biology.
The LunaRecycle Challenge is also supported by experts from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Ames Research Center, and Langley Research Center.
Learn more about LunaRecycle
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NASA Awards First Prize in Phase 2 of Agency’s LunaRecycle Challenge
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