The Horizons Challenge is your chance to identify the critical focus areas that will lead humanity to the Moon by 2040 and solve major global challenges. Join university teams from across the nation to submit the topics that will fuel innovation and drive NASA's next mission—together, let’s set our sights on the horizons of tomorrow.
Pitch a topic within one of our focus areas that can be addressed today, with the potential to scale and contribute to humanity’s journey to the Moon by 2040.
Select a focus area and develop a topic that needs to be solved. This is your pitch.
These questions are things you should think of when thinking of a solution topic within your selected focus area.
Which problem in your focus area feels most urgent—and why?
What problems in your focus area have the greatest potential for scalable impact?
What challenge, solved today, could revolutionize space exploration tomorrow?
How might solving a local issue spark a global or lunar breakthrough?
What critical gaps exist that must be addressed to prepare humanity for lunar living?
How can innovations for the Moon create a better world on Earth?
Define the problem, don’t solve it. Your solution topic will set the stage for future innovation competitions.
The goal is to propose a critical challenge within your focus area—something that needs to be solved now, with the potential to scale for lunar living or solve a global challenge.
The team with the winning pitch will help define the focus for upcoming Xperience Competition, where hundreds of students across the country will work on actual solutions to your problem statement.
Your solution topic should be:
Here’s what you and your team will work on from now to August 2025.
A comprehensive analysis of the identified challenge, showcasing its local relevance and global potential.
A 5 minute presentation explaining the challenge, its importance, and alignment with NASA’s 2040 goals.
A text version of the video presentation for accessibility.
A visual summary of the key aspects of the pitch.
A short 2-3 minute documentary on the team and their story.
As a semifinalist, you’ll refine your pitch in a breakout session at NEXPLORE, then pitch your idea live for an audience vote.
The winning team receives $2,040, symbolizing the 2040 goal of inspiring transformative solutions for the future.
The winner will be announced and celebrated during the semi-finals and finals at the NEXPLORE 2040 Summit, featuring pitch competitions and audience voting.
The winning solution topic will inspire hundreds of university students nationwide to work on solutions over the next 18 months. This solution topic will form the focus of one major competition launching in 2026.
