The Aqualunar Challenge
With the Aqualunar Challenge, we are looking to develop new technologies to purify Moon water for human deep-space missions which could also help advance water purification processes here on Earth.
About the challenge
Humanity is preparing to establish a long-term presence on the Moon and engage in more ambitious space missions. Water is not only essential to sustain life, but is also a critical resource for space exploration. To support the production of food, oxygen, and rocket fuel, we must find ways to remove potential contaminants in water found on the Moon.
The Aqualunar Challenge seeks to develop novel water purification technologies to be used on the lunar surface.
These innovations could help enable space missions and advance existing water purification technologies on our planet.
The Challenge is held both in Canada and the United Kingdom. It is delivered by the Canadian Space Agency in partnership with Impact Canada in Canada, and by Challenge Works on behalf of the UK Space Agency in the UK.
Who was eligible to participate?
The Aqualunar Challenge called on Canadian innovators to submit a design concept for their Moon water purification solution before .
The following groups were eligible to participate in the Challenge:
- a business or other for-profit organization in Canada
- a not-for-profit organization in Canada
- an Indigenous organization or group located in Canada
- a post-secondary institution located in Canada
- an individual or a group of individuals based in Canada
For more information on the Aqualunar Challenge, visit the Impact Canada webpage.
For more information on the United Kingdom track, visit the Aqualunar Challenge UK.
Winners
Stage 1 winners
Eight Canadian teams were selected by the Aqualunar Challenge jury in Stage 1 of the Challenge.
The teams that move on to Stage 2 are:
| Organization | Location | Project name |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Space Mining Corporation | Toronto, Ontario | LunaPure – A sustainable system to purify lunar water from the lunar polar regions |
| Sixpenny Architectural Fabrication | Toronto, Ontario | Lunarwell |
| 778 Labs | Vancouver, British Columbia | VDO Lunar Water Purification System |
| University of Calgary | Calgary, Alberta | Pure Water from Lunar Ice: Advancing Water Purification in Space |
| WaterPuris | Waterloo, Ontario | Extracting and Purifying Water from Lunar Regolith: Innovating with Cold Trap and Vapour Membrane Distillation in an Autonomous Multi-Stage System |
| Cimbus Inc. | Toronto, Ontario | The Lunar Ice Water and Resource Recovery System (LIWARS) |
| Lotic Technologies Inc. | Leduc, Alberta | Electro-Catalytic Advanced Oxidation Process (EC-AOP) for Lunar Water Purification |
| McGill Advanced bio-Regenerative Toolkit for Long Excursion Trips (MARTLET)/McGill University | Montreal, Quebec | Polar Utilization for Future Industry Needs (PUFFIN) |