← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 7 (started at 3, targeting 7)
Sponsored by NASA’s Centennial Challenges program, university and private developer teams are competing for prizes by building 6 unit CubeSats then demonstrating superior performance in one of two divisions, the Lunar Derby – in lunar orbit – or the Deep Space Derby – 2.5 million miles from Earth. From these two arenas, competitors attempt to achieve any or all of the contest goals including: highest data communications rate; transmission of the largest volume of data within a specified time frame, data transmission from the farthest range beyond 2.5 million miles; and/or longest survival in the deep space environment. There is also a prize for achieving lunar orbit. To ensure data integrity, each satellite must transmit NASA-provided communications data to be eligible for prizes. NASA believes that CubeSats with these kinds of capabilities will contribute to new and more affordable missions to explore the Moon and beyond.
The Challenge is designed to foster innovations in propulsion and communications of "shoebox-sized" CubeSats beyond Low Earth Orbit- in lunar orbit and beyond (4,000,000 kilometers from Earth).
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is a mature technology (TRL 7) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.