{"id":221857,"date":"2025-05-23T01:52:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T15:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=868544"},"modified":"2025-05-23T01:52:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T15:52:45","slug":"winners-announced-in-nasas-2025-gateways-to-blue-skies-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=221857","title":{"rendered":"Winners Announced in NASA\u2019s 2025 Gateways to Blue Skies Competition"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\"Group<\/a><\/figure>
\n
A team from South Dakota State University with their project, \u201cSoil Testing and Plant Leaf Extraction Drone,\u201d took first place at the 2025 Gateways to Blue Skies Forum held May 20-21 in Palmdale, California. Advisor Todd Lechter, left, along with team members Nick Wolles, Keegan Visher, Nathan Kuehl and Laura Peterson, and graduate advisor Allea Klauenberg, right, accepted the award.<\/div>\n
NASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A team from South Dakota State University, with their project titled \u201cSoil Testing and Plant Leaf Extraction Drone\u201d took first place at the 2025 NASA Gateways to Blue Skies Competition, which challenged student teams to research aviation solutions to support U.S. agriculture.<\/p>\n

The winning project proposed a drone-based soil and tissue sampling process that would automate a typically labor-intensive farming task. The South Dakota State team competed among eight finalists at the 2025 Blue Skies Forum May 20-21 in Palmdale, California, near NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center. Subject matter experts from NASA and industry served as judges.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis competition challenges students to think creatively, explore new possibilities, and confront the emerging issues and opportunity spaces solvable through aviation platforms,\u201d said Steven Holz, assistant project manager for University Innovation with NASA\u2019s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Blue Skies judge and co-chair. \u201cThey bring imaginative ideas, interesting insights, and an impressive level of dedication. It\u2019s always an honor to work with the next generation of innovators participating in our competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t <\/path><\/path><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n
\n

This competition challenges students to think creatively, explore new possibilities, and confront the emerging issues and opportunity spaces solvable through aviation platforms<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Steven<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Steven holz<\/p>\n

Assistant Project Manager for University Innovation<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The winning team members were awarded an opportunity to intern during the 2025-26 academic year at any of four aeronautics-focused NASA centers \u2014 Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley, or Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.  <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been super-rewarding for our team to see how far we\u2019ve come, especially with all these other amazing projects that we were competing against,\u201d said Nathan Kuehl, team lead at South Dakota State University. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t have been possible without our graduate advisor, Allea Klauenberg, and advisor, Todd Lechter. We want to thank everybody that made this experience possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other awards included: <\/p>\n