NASA's BIGGEST Moon Challenges for University Students - Interview with Paul van SusanteHow do we generate power on the Moon — and keep it running through the harsh 14-day lunar night? In this episode of the Cold Star Project, Dr. Paul van Susante of Michigan Tech shares what it really takes to make lunar infrastructure a reality.
From lunar robotics to the NASA Watts on the Moon Challenge, Dr. van Susante’s team of students is solving real-world problems that will shape the future of Moon missions and deep space exploration. We share the experiences of his students participating in NASA challenges on regolith handling, power transmission, thermal issues, and what it means to build infrastructure where no one’s done it before.
🔧 Topics Covered:
- How to power lunar bases through extreme conditions
- Why the NASA Watts on the Moon Challenge matters — and how student teams are pushing lunar tech forward
- Robotic design for dusty, low-gravity environments
- What students are building today to support future Moon missions
- The future of off-world civil engineering.
🎓 Guest: Dr. Paul van Susante – Professor at Michigan Technological University and Principal Investigator of the Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab (a.k.a. HuskyWorks).
This episode is brought to you by Cold Star Technologies and our Internal Business Intelligence™ initiative — helping space and defense founders gain clarity and control. Learn more at 👉 https://coldstartech.com/ibi
The Cold Star Project - Season 5, Episode 8
Hosted, Directed, and Produced by Jason Kanigan
“The real conversations behind the new space economy, defense tech, and policy—straight from the insiders building it.”
Further resources:
https://www.youtube.com/@NASAsBreakTheIceLunarChallenge
NASA Break the Ice Lunar Challenge website
https://breaktheicechallenge.com/NASA
Lunabotics competition (student competition) webpage
https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/lunabotics-challenge/
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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this video for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Credits & Attributions:
1. "[4K, 60 fps] Apollo 16 Lunar Rover 'Grand Prix' (1972 April 21, Moon)" — Film enhanced by Denis Shiryaev
Original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az9nFrnCK60
2. "Side view of the crater Moltke" — Photo taken during Apollo 10 by NASA
Public domain. NASA Apollo Archive, Image AS10-29-4324
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4691773.
All student and competition photos provided by Paul van Susante.
Remuneration Disclaimer: We were not remunerated in any way by the guest or their organization if any for this discussion. This show is for educational/commentary and entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be what is termed "professional advice".
The Cold Star Project is sponsored in partnership by Cold Star Technologies and the Operational Excellence Society. Jason Kanigan is a member of the board of advisors of the OpEx Society.
Jason's latest Space industry book, The Evolution of Space Entrepreneurship:
https://coldstartech.com/evospace
Cold Star Technologies website:
https://www.coldstartech.com
Operational Excellence Society website:
https://www.opexsociety.org
About Jason Kanigan:
https://jasonkanigan.com
