NASA has selected five 3D model submissions to the Advanced Lightweight Lunar Gantry for Operations (ALLGO) challenge. The ideas offer potential ways to unload supplies on the Moon, something NASA is considering as it works toward sustainable exploration under the Artemis program.
The challenge supports NASA’s ALLGO feasibility study to develop an innovative lightweight gantry system using inflatable components that can be tightly packaged and easily deployed on the lunar surface. GrabCAD ran the challenge on behalf of NASA.
“Almost every submission had innovative ideas, giving NASA a sourcebook for future concept development work,” said Kevin Kempton, the ALLGO study and challenge lead at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “I am impressed with the results of the challenge and the collaboration within the GrabCAD community.”
Submissions included models that showed gantry designs in their operational configuration and detailed descriptions of the packing and deployment processes. Based on a review of 132 proposals, NASA chose 20 finalists and selected and ranked five winners based on the challenge scoring criteria.