£1.2M Aqualunar Challenge for purifying lunar water launches in UK and Canada
January 9, 2024
Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) people in the UK believe that developing technology for the harsh environment of space could help us back on Earth, with more than half (56%) believing that using technology in space means we can better understand our own planet and how to protect it. This sets the stage for the £1.2 million Aqualunar Challenge, an international collaboration with the UK Space Agency and Challenge Works running the UK track of the Challenge, and the Canadian Space Agency and Impact Canada running the Canadian track.
With humankind returning to the Moon later this decade, purifying the water that exists on the Moon in ice and using it as drinking water – to grow food, to create oxygen and for rocket fuel –will be a key enabler for supporting future deep space exploration.
The support for lunar sustainability is reflected in our research as 8 in 10 (78%) of people believe that it is important that we use the Moon’s resources responsibly, while more than three-quarters (76%) say that exploration of the Moon should do minimal damage to the lunar environment.
We are inviting innovators, start-ups, scientists, academics, engineers and problem solvers to pioneer these advancements, which will help enable human habitation on the Moon and drive advanced technological applications for water purification on Earth. Teams can be from anywhere, but must have a lead partner based in the country of application (UK or Canada).
Innovators can enter the challenge any time between now and 3pm BST on 8 April 2024.