Mercer Times

Landing a spacecraft on the moon presents significant challenges, including dealing with lunar regolith, a fine particulate that can damage equipment. As part of the Artemis campaign to establish a permanent lunar base, NASA launched the Human Lander Challenge, inviting college students to propose solutions for managing this issue.

A team of mechanical engineering seniors from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) was selected as one of 12 finalists in the competition. Their design, called the TCNJ Adaptable Regolith Retention Platform (TARRP), impressed NASA alongside proposals from institutions like the University of Michigan and Texas A&M University.

“The lesson we learned as a group is not to underestimate your potential,” said Mohammed Alabsi, assistant professor of engineering and adviser to the team.

Despite limited resources compared to other competitors, TCNJ's team managed a budget of $7,000 to develop their proposal. Their design involves a heat-resistant platform made from solid carbon composite that absorbs and deflects rocket plumes without disturbing lunar regolith. To test their concept, they constructed an acrylic vacuum chamber filled with simulant regolith.

The approach focused on simplicity and feasibility. “It made the most sense for us, given our resources, to do something mechanical and relatively simple,” said co-lead Christian Katsikis.

Team member Aidan Wiehe described TARRP as a temporary landing pad for NASA that avoids complex infrastructure needs. This simplicity was seen as an advantage rather than a limitation.

“Although the design might seem simplistic, it serves the purpose,” Alabsi noted. “We don’t have to overcomplicate it.”

As they prepare for their presentation at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in June, where winners will be announced after technical presentations and questioning sessions on June 26th, TCNJ's team continues testing their design. They plan to bring a 3D-printed replica of their 200-pound contraption for demonstration purposes.

Their work has shown promise against some of America's top engineering schools. Even after being named finalists, continuous research and development remain crucial for finalizing their project details before presenting them to NASA experts.