Four teams will share a $300,000 prize for successful completion of the seal test stage of the 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, a competition to create sustainable shelters suitable for the Moon, Mars or beyond using resources available on site in these locations. For this level of the competition, teams submitted 3D-printed samples that were tested for their ability to hold a seal, for strength and for durability in temperature extremes.
Six teams submitted entries to the competition, and after evaluation by a team of judges, NASA and challenge partner Bradley University of Peoria, Illinois, awarded the following teams:
- SEArch+/Apis Cor – New York – $104,987.46
- AI. SpaceFactory – New York – $88,353.30
- Pennsylvania State University – State College – $83,755.92
- Colorado School of Mines and ICON- Golden, Colorado – $22,903.32
The multi-level 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge puts teams to the test in several areas of 3D printing, including modeling software, material development and construction. There are two software design levels and three construction levels. The seal test level is the final construction level teams must pass to be eligible to compete in the final level, a head-to-head printing of a structure that will take place in April 2019.
