In the Human Exploration Rover Challenge, students need to make models that are capable of going over a course while completing tasks for future Artemis missions, NASA said in a news release.
In the challenge, teams design projects that sample of soil, water and air over a half-mile course with a simulated field of asteroid debris, boulders, erosion ruts, crevasses and an ancient streambed.
There are remote-controlled and human-powered divisions.
In the human one, teams will play the role of two astronauts in a lunar vehicle. They must use a custom-built tool to manually collect samples.
In remote-controlled, they will provide pressurized rovers, which will contain the necessary tools to collect and test samples onboard.
"NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge creates opportunities for students to develop the skills they need to be successful STEM professionals," Vemitra Alexander, the activity lead for the challenge at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., said. "This challenge will help students see themselves in the mission and give them the hands-on experience needed to advance technology and become the workforce of tomorrow."
Entries will be accepted until Sept. 15 and the 32nd annual winners will be announced at an in-person event April 9-11, 2026, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center near NASA Marshall.
Since the program began in 1994, more than 15,000 have participated in the Rover Challenge.
Many students now work at NASA or in the aerospace industry.
In the 2025 contest, more than 500 students participated, representing 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools in 20 states, Puerto Rico and 16 nations.
"Last year, we saw a lot of success with the debut of our remote-controlled division and the addition of middle school teams," Alexander said. "We're looking forward to building on both our remote-controlled and human-powered divisions with new challenges for the students, including rover automation."
The Artemis II is scheduled to reach the moon no earlier than April 26, and a crewed Artemis III is planned for mid-2027 aboard the Orion spacecraft.
The last time humans landed on the moon was 1972 on Apollo 17.
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