NASA seeks solutions for lunar static buildup that could shock astronauts and hardware
NASA has launched a $150,000 Lunar Grounding Challenge to prevent static electricity from endangering moonwalkers and spacecraft. On the lunar surface, tribocharging and plasma charging can accumulate excess electrons on spacesuits, especially in shadowed regions. The agency worries that a negatively charged astronaut approaching a positively charged lander could trigger a spark.
NASA's $150,000 Lunar Grounding Challenge asks for concepts to safely discharge moonwalkers and suits before contact with a lander. The agency plans a south-pole landing in 2028 under Artemis 4 or 5, the first crewed lunar touchdown since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Charge can build through contact electrification and surrounding plasma, particularly in shadowed craters. Lunar dust may extend spark distances. Proposed hardware must be compact, low-power, survive temperature extremes, and support as many as four moonwalks across ten days.
This effort may shape how future lunar crews and spacecraft are designed, affecting astronauts, engineers, and commercial partners working on Artemis-era hardware. Reducing spark risks could improve safety and mission reliability, while the open challenge may draw new ideas from small teams. Public attention to lunar exploration could grow if such technical problems are framed as solvable.