UC Davis Students Reflect on Reaching the NASA Human Lander Challenge Finals

In June, a team of students from the University of California, Davis, Aggie Space Initiative, or ASI, presented their design concept for an evaporator-based potable water dispenser to aerospace industry experts as part of the final phase of the 2026 NASA Human Lander Challenge.  

Aerospace engineering student Andres Mino Cortes and recent alum Aidan Guerra represented their team, which also included engineering students Rachel Long and Lianne de Leon, at the in-person presentations in Huntsville, Alabama. The team was advised by Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Stephen Robinson and subject matter expert and alum Janine Moses.  

In this conversation, Cortes and Guerra share their experiences presenting to NASA professionals and the lessons they learned along the way to go the distance in future NASA design challenges.  

How did you feel going into the final phase of the NASA Human Lander Challenge? 

Guerra: It was exciting, but also nerve-racking because we’d never made it that far before. As the club’s founder, it was rewarding to see other UC Davis students have the opportunity to present at a NASA center and gain that experience. 

Cortes: It was a mix of every emotion. At first, I was just happy and excited that we had made it, but then the reality of presenting to NASA experts set in. There was definitely anxiety and fear going into the final phase, but overall, I was grateful for the opportunity. 

What made your team’s project, an evaporator-based potable water dispenser, stand out? 

Guerra: Our project stood out because our team took a systems engineering approach to display our novel application to NASA. In our proposal and technical paper, we made it clear that we did our research and outlined our next steps to mature our design.  

Cortes: We believed our concept was unique because, to our knowledge, an evaporator-based potable water dispenser hadn’t been explored for this type of aerospace application before. 

What was the most memorable part of the competition? 

Guerra: Getting grilled by the judges [laughs]. Jokes aside, speaking with the judges was memorable because we were taking the time to learn from industry experts. We saw it as an opportunity to learn from these experts in ECLSS [environmental control and life support systems] and apply that knowledge to our design so that we can keep moving forward.  

Cortes: Visiting NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was definitely one of the highlights. Being able to walk through a mock-up of their lunar habitation design was an exciting experience. However, the most notable moment came at the airport, where I spent several hours with Leon Chen, one of the ISS potable water dispenser experts and a competition judge, after his flight was delayed twice. During that time, he gave me invaluable advice on our project, my professional development and lessons he'd learned throughout his career. It was inspiring to learn from someone whose level of professionalism I hope to reach someday.  

What lessons will you take into future NASA competitions?  

Guerra: Start early. The posting for this challenge was in late September. I had an initial brainstorming session with Professor Robinson, but the fall quarter got really busy, so the actual work didn’t start until January, and the proposal was due in March. Going forward, spacing the work out over a few months can be less stressful.   

Cortes: Learning what the judges are looking for in this competition. We were fortunate to present later in the week and see the judges' feedback for the other teams, including what they wanted to see in their concepts and what they didn't. Moving forward with the club's initiatives for competing in future NASA challenges, we can apply what we've learned to improve our team’s proposals and our chances of success. 

What was the most rewarding aspect of participating in this challenge? 

Guerra: I have been trying to break into ECLSS since my sophomore year. I finally got this experience, becoming more well-versed in certain NASA standards and ECLSS research. Now, I am going to interview for the ECLSS team for Vast Space [a company creating next-generation habitats for humans to live in space]. It’s really a full-circle moment.  

Cortes: I think that the experience is the award itself. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to compete. We didn't win any prizes, but I think the experience was worth way more than I could ever have imagined. More than what the prizes were worth. 

What comes next? Is there a future for this project?  

Guerra: NASA sees potential in this. They want us to explore it and see if it is a possibility for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. We’re going to take the next steps to refine our design and [answer], ‘Is our design possible?’ and ‘What can we do to make it flight-ready in the future?’  

Cortes: The ultimate goal is to move forward with the project and mature it in its Technology Readiness Level, or TRL [a technology measurement scale used by organizations like NASA]. Additionally, we want to continue to compete in these NASA challenges and give students the opportunity to visit NASA centers, make valuable connections and research new technologies such as the one that we did this year.  

What has been your favorite part of being involved with the Aggie Space Initiative? 

Guerra: Being involved with ASI has taught me to be proactive. I had not heard of NASA challenges for students coming into UC Davis, but I knew I had an interest in spaceflight research and wanted to get involved. If you have an idea of what you might want to do, take those first steps and apply yourself to challenges such as these. Not only does it help you figure out what you want to do with your career, but it also allows you to conduct novel research and create solutions that haven’t been made before.  

Cortes: To have the opportunity to work with like-minded people like Aidan and our teammates, Rachel and Lianne, is incredible. You want to be around those kinds of people because they inspire you to become a better person. I hope to continue what Aidan built and leave my mark on the school as he did. I want to grow ASI and provide students with the opportunity to compete, showcase their skills, build experience and accomplish the goals they hope to achieve during their time at UC Davis.