[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1344-1345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00450]
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice: 26-002]
Centennial Challenges Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table
Registration
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table is open, and teams
that wish to compete may now register. NASA initiated Centennial
Challenges in 2005 to create public prize competitions that stimulate
revolutionary research, technology development, and prototype
demonstrations. These challenges strive to be audacious and
inspirational with a focus on long-range NASA goals while addressing
complex mission needs. Challenges also encourage hands-on, grassroots
approaches to identifying and cultivating communities of innovators,
including small businesses, student groups, and individuals. Centennial
Challenges are part of NASA's Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing
program withing the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate.
NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table is a prize competition
with a total prize purse of $750,000 USD, (seven hundred and fifty
thousand United States dollars) to be awarded to competitor teams that
develop a complete space food system for a planetary surface that
integrates a variety of food sources and associated technologies, and
that meets 100% of the crew's variable nutritional needs within the
constraints of a Martian habitat.
DATES: Registration opens January 12, 2026, and will remain open until
July 31, 2026. No further requests for registration will be accepted
after this date. Other important dates can be found at the challenge
website: go.nasa.gov/marstotable.
ADDRESSES: Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table will be conducted
virtually. Information about any possible in-person awards ceremonies
will be posted on the Challenge website.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register or for additional
information regarding NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table,
please visit: go.nasa.gov/marstotable.
Questions and comments regarding the Challenge should be addressed
to Jennifer Edmunson, 256-544-4071, Centennial Challenges Acting
Program Manager, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL
35812. Email address: [email protected]. For
general information on NASA prize competitions, challenges, and
crowdsourcing opportunities, please visit: www.nasa.gov/get-involved.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Summary
Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table seeks to incentivize the
development of a complete space food system for a planetary surface
that integrates a variety of food sources and associated technologies,
and that meets 100% of the crew's variable nutritional needs within the
space environment. This challenge is a public prize competition, open
to the eligible global public, with a $750,000 USD total prize purse.
This challenge will identify innovative approaches to create a full
food system that can provide for a surface expedition team of up to 15
crew members, support sustained operations for a five-year surface
mission, fully integrate the Environmental Control and Life Support
System (ECLSS) for closed-loop or near closed-loop resource
utilization, and utilize pre-packaged foods and/or bulk ingredients for
less than half of the overall system.
The challenge asks teams to outfit a habitat space with their
proposed food system and communicate their solutions through a detailed
framework including a daily concept of operations and meal plan, a
blueprint/layout of the designed space, and a functional walkthrough
video. The challenge may allow for simulation testing, where teams can
validate their systems for further technology advancement. Subject
matter experts will offer wisdom and support through webinars and
office hours.
I. Prize Amounts
The Challenge will offer an aggregate prize purse of up to $750,000
for U.S. Teams. U.S. Teams must meet the eligibility requirements in
order to receive a prize from NASA.
After the Judging Panel makes recommendations, up to one (1) U.S.
Team will be named as the overall winner of the Challenge and be
awarded up to $300,000. Up to two (2) additional U.S. Teams will be
named as second and third place winners and awarded up to $200,000 and
$100,000, respectively. Up to three (3) $50,000 categorical awards may
be awarded for recognizing U.S. Teams who make exemplary advancements
or innovations in a given focus area, including but not limited to:
Crew Experience, Transformational Innovation, Terrestrial Potential,
etc.
International Teams must meet the eligibility requirements in order
to participate in the Challenge. International Teams are not eligible
to be awarded prize money. After the Judging Panel deliberates in
August 2026, up to three (3) International Teams may be named the
International Winner and International Runners-Up of the Challenge.
II. Eligibility To Participate and Win Prize Money
In order to participate in the Challenge, each individual, whether
acting alone or as part of a Competitor Team must identify their
nationality.
No individual competitor shall be a citizen of a country
on the NASA Export Control Program list of Designated Countries List
Category II: Countries determined by the Department of State to support
terrorism. The current list of designated countries can be found at
http://oiir.hq.nasa.gov/nasaecp. Please check the link for the latest
updates. This includes individuals with dual citizenship unless they
are a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card
holder).
While China is not a Category II designated country,
pursuant to Public Law 116-6, Section 530, NASA is prohibited from
participating, collaborating, or coordinating bilaterally in any way
with China or any Chineseowned entity. Team members who are citizens of
China but not
[[Page 1345]]
affiliated with a Chinese entity may be permitted to participate on a
Team.
Subject to the conditions set forth herein, foreign
nationals and foreign national Teams can participate in the Challenge.
However, they are not eligible for a cash prize, and must acknowledge
acceptance of this by signing and submitting a Foreign Participant
Acknowledgement Form.
A competitor Team-designated lead shall be responsible for
both compliance with the rules (including prize eligibility rules) and
the actions of all members of the Team.
In order to be eligible to win a prize from NASA:
1. Individuals must be U.S. citizens OR permanent residents of the
United States, AND over the age of 18.
2. Organizations must be an entity incorporated in AND maintaining
a primary place of business in the United States.
3. Teams must be composed of otherwise eligible individuals or
organizations AND led by an otherwise eligible individual or
organization.
4. Team Leader must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
A Team may include foreign nationals and be eligible to win prize
money as long as the foreign national signs and delivers a disclosure
wherein they disclose his/her citizenship and acknowledge that he/she
is not eligible to win a prize from NASA, AND the foreign national is:
1. An employee of an otherwise eligible U.S. entity participating
in the Challenge,
2. An owner of such entity, so long as foreign citizens own less
than 50% of the interests in the entity,
3. A contractor under written contract to such entity, OR
4. A full-time student who, during the time of the Challenge, (1)
is enrolled in an accredited institution of higher learning, (2) has a
valid student visa and (3) is otherwise in compliance with all local,
state, and U.S. Government laws and regulations regarding the sale and
export of technology.
Teams selected for an award will be required to provide proof of
citizenship/permanent residency, proof of primary place of business,
proof of incorporation, and/or proof of student visa. Proof must be
provided within 3 business days to be eligible for an award. A Team's
failure to comply with any aspect of the eligibility requirements shall
result in the Team being disqualified from winning a prize from NASA.
Interested teams should refer to the official Challenge website
(www.deepspacefood.org/marstotable) for full details on eligibility
requirements and registration.
III. Official Rules
The complete rules for Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table,
can be found at: www.deepspacefood.org/marstotable.
Nanette Smith,
Team Lead, NASA Directives and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2026-00450 Filed 1-12-26; 8:45 am]
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