challenge

As the only student-led team in Google’s Lunar XPRIZE, Penn State faced many challenges. Competing with deep pocketed, corporate players in the race to become the first mission to land on the Moon, then traverse across difficult surfaces and send back never before seen images of the Earth. The team needed support from funders, as well as attention for the university’s world-class space education system and students.

assets

Weaving a compelling narrative for the media begins with a compelling cast of characters, and in this instance, the students were the heart of the story. If we could support the students’ crowdfunding efforts, while shining a light on their SpaceX style approach to the mission, we knew it would resonate across the media outlets central to elevating the students’ missions.

actions

Seed student innovation story and magnify successes.
Align Penn State with leaders in space education, training the next generation of market pioneers.
Maintain steady drumbeat of positive press, leveraging Lunar Lion’s milestones within industry trends

results

Within a matter of weeks, Lunar Lion graced the pages of Forbes, Fast Company, CNET and other outlets, while it also responded to incoming funding inquiries and requests from Bill Nye the Science Guy and The Explorer’s Club to support the team. mc² also invited Mission Director, Michael Paul, to speak alongside zero2infinity and PlanetIQ on its SXSW Eco panel, Space: Earth’s Newest Ally Against Climate Change.