National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Launching Tomorrow’s Aerospace Workforce
2026 HERC Proposal Expectations
HERC Management Team
August 21, 2025
Activity Lead
Dr. Vemitra Alexander
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement
“True leadership in the realm of STEM is not just about innovation; it's
about fostering an ecosystem where every mind feels empowered to
contribute. The future is not just about what we can build; it's about
who we build it with.” – Dr. Vemitra Alexander. A native of Crawford,
Mississippi, Dr. Alexander earned her Ph.D. from Mississippi State
University in Instructional Systems and Workforce Development and
serves as a Program Specialist for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
She manages the Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC), MUREP
Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR), MUREP Institutional
Research Opportunity (MIRO), and supports NASA HQ’s Science
Mission Directorate MOSAICS Program. With a career dedicated to
expanding STEM opportunities for students, she has held leadership
roles with ASEE, APS-IDEA, and the Catalyst Center for Business &
Entrepreneurship. Honored among The 2025 Power 100 Top Women
Leaders and as a recipient of NASA’s Group Achievement Award, she
is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a former
vice mayor and collegiate basketball player, and lives in Huntsville,
Alabama, with her husband, Dr. Jamel Alexander and daughter, Nila
Grace Alexander.
Project Manager
Allison Chouinard
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement
Ms. Chouinard is STEM Educator and Instructional
Facilitator with 15+ years of experience in the high
school science classroom. Prior to teaching she
graduated from St. Joseph’s College for Women with a
Bachelors degree in Molecular and Cell Biology. Ms.
Chouinard received a Masters of Secondary Science
Education from the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte and served as an Instructional Facilitator in
North Carolina Public Schools before joining NASA in
2020.
Technical Coordinator
Chris Joren
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement
Mr. Joren has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Alaska and a MS in Biomedical Engineering
from the University of Tennessee. He has 10 years
experience in various engineering fields including
design and manufacturing, spacecraft structural
analysis, and he taught mechanical engineering at the
University of West Florida.
Logistics Coordinator
Catherine Crumpton
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement
Mrs. Crumpton, a Western Kentucky University
graduate, brings over two decades of diverse
educational expertise to her role at NASA, which she
joined in 2019. Her distinguished career encompasses
teaching and coaching at both middle and high school
levels, serving as a Staff Developer and Technology
Integration Specialist for Daviess County Public Schools,
and holding faculty positions as a Geoscience Professor
at both Owensboro Community and Technical College
and WKU. Before transitioning to NASA, she
demonstrated her leadership capabilities as Director of
Curriculum and Technology at the U.S. Space & Rocket
Center, where she leveraged her comprehensive
background in educational advancement and
technological implementation.
Safety Engineer
Zachary Koch
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement
Mr. Koch is a graduate of the University of Alabama in
Huntsville with 19 years of Safety Engineering
experience at Bastion Technologies at Marshall Space
Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He has worked
Industrial Safety, Test and Operations, SLS Systems
Integration Safety, and has 10 years total experience
working with NASA OSTEM for both the Student Launch
and Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC)
programs.
Agenda
01 Overview
02 Key Points for 2026 HERC
03 Technical Design
04 Facilities & Equipment
05 Safety
06 Project Plan
07 Engagement
08 Submission
09 Questions
Overview
• What does the NASA review panel expect in a
proposal?
• What is the purpose of the HERC proposal?
• What material is not important/expected at this
stage?
• Scoring:
• Introduction: 5%
• Facilities/Equipment: 40%
• Safety Plan: 15%
• Design: 10%
• Project Plan: 30%
Key Points for 2026 HERC
• Course is composed of 10 obstacles and 3 tasks.
• All divisions will use the same course and tasks (Obstacles 1
and 5 will have a 1/3 scale version for RC.)
• All obstacles will have a bypass.
• University RC must have autonomous sample collection and
testing.
• Collected sample does not have to be the tested sample.
• Time limit for HP is 8 minutes, time limit for RC is 12 minutes.
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Technical Design
• Basic outline of design (napkin sketch)
• At this stage, the review team does not expect a
robust design or any simulation/FEA.
• Demonstrate team is capable of conceptualizing and
showcasing design ideas.
• Rough plan for task strategy and task tool
• Relevant design goals identified (obstacles,
speed, weight, etc.)
• Identifying challenges and plans to overcome them.
Facilities and Equipment Requirements
• Facilities available – Describe what facilities, tools, and other equipment your team
has access to that will (or could) be important to the design, construction, testing, and
storage of your program.
• Identify shortfalls – Your team may not have all the facility access, tools, or specialized
equipment needed to realize your designs and manufacturing plans. Detail what is
missing, and how you will work around or gain access to alternative options.
• EX: Some teams may not have adequate 3D printing equipment for some of the
parts the team wants to manufacture. Outsourcing to a commercial printing
facility may be a suitable alternative to in-house manufacturing
• Team Specific Facility and Equipment Requirements - Demonstrate that your team
understands what requirements your institution/school has (if any) limiting access to
facilities and other tools and equipment you will use.
• EX: Many machine shops require training classes be completed before team
members can access the shop.
• There is no set equipment list or specific facilities required, but you need to
demonstrate that what you have access to will be sufficient to succeed in all aspects
of HERC.
Safety Requirements
• A safety plan, but not a complete Hazards Analysis.
• We want to know that you are aware of risks, and that you
have methods to address them, but not all of it needs to be
finished at the proposal
• The plan is an approach to safety, not a final product.
• Plan identifies how your team WILL implement safety and
best practices
• Is training/warning/communication part of the plan?
• Safety meetings, trainings, briefings, etc. These are all important
in the early phase of the program and should be identified and
detailed in a proposal.
• Is your team’s Student Safety Officer identified and
knowledgeable of their duties?
Program Timeline
Proposals Submitted Sept. 15
Selected Team Announced Sept. 30
Kickoff and Social Media Links Oct. 7
DR Report/Presentation Nov 24
Team DR Presentations Dec 1 – Dec 19
Team Travel Roster/Photo Feb 5
ORR Report/Presentation and
Feb 23
Completed Rover Photo
Team ORR Presentations Mar 2 – Mar 23
In-Person Event Apr 9 – Apr 11
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Project Plan
Budget for the Entire
Well-developed Timeline Funding Plans Endorsements
Project
• Detailed schedule • Materials • Sources of funding • From School/Institution
• Not just milestones • Services • Estimated amounts • Anticipated or awarded
grants
• Account for potential • Travel • Confirmed amounts
delays/challenges • Awards
• How are you estimating
costs? • Donations
STEM Engagement Requirement
Teams will choose to complete a STEM Industry OR Community
STEM Engagement Requirement
For proposals include a:
1. STEM Industry Plan
OR
2. Community STEM Engagement Plan
• Teams will not submit individual STEM Engagement Reports during the activity year
• New requirement shall be met at proposal and ORR.
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General Submission
Requirements
• 10 Page Maximum
o contents past page 10 will not be scored
o does NOT include cover page or TOC
• Format
o Size 12 Times New Roman font or similar
o 8.5 in. X 11 in. paper size with 1-in. margins (no
columns)
• Cover Page
o Institution Name with full mailing address
o Division (MS/HS RC, Uni RC, HS HP, Uni HP)
o Date
o Name, Title, and Email of TA, STL, SSO
o Other team member and their proposed
duties/assignments
• Submit as a PDF
o Name your file according to proper nomenclature:
Institution Name – 2026 – Division – Proposal
(ex: Birmingham University – 2026 – Uni HP – Proposal)
Human Exploration Rover Challenge 2026
Handbook and Request for Proposals
Proposal Submission Deadline
8 a.m. CT, Monday, September 15
• 1 proposal per institution per division
• Submit as a PDF to
[email protected]• Name your file:
Institution Name – Year – Division – Proposal
(ex: Birmingham University – 2026 – Uni HP – Proposal)
• Late proposals will not be accepted
• Submission does not guarantee selection
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Questions
www.nasa.gov
