In July 2023 the Jordan Space Research Initiative (JSRI), together with Orange Digital Center and Al Hussein Technical University (HTU), hosted The Lunar Experience at Orange Digital Village in Amman. 

The event was part of the global International Moon Day celebrations and featured immersive VR/AR/MR lunar simulations, robotics demonstrations, keynote speeches and interactive exhibits. Participants of all ages explored lunar environments, engaged with emerging space technologies and learned how space architecture, design and research can inform sustainable life on Earth. 

With its focus on public engagement, The Lunar Experience marked a milestone for youth and community outreach in Jordan’s space ecosystem. The event brought together students, young professionals and space enthusiasts to inspire a new generation and strengthen Jordan’s role as a hub for space education and innovation.

In 2022, JSRI organized a national Space Architecture Design Competition in partnership with the Al Hussein Technical University (HTU). This competition invited students and young professionals to design an analog habitat concept for future space research in Wadi Rum.

Participants explored how architecture, sustainability, and human-centered design could come together to support life and research in extreme environments. The competition encouraged creative thinking about how lessons from space habitat design can also inform sustainable living on Earth.

Through this collaboration with HTU, JSRI continued to expand opportunities for Jordanian youth to contribute to space research and innovation, strengthening the link between education, sustainability, and exploration.

In 2021, JSRI launched the first Jordanian space design competitions, marking the start of its outreach and education initiatives. These competitions gave young Jordanians their first opportunity to engage directly with space research and engineering.

Students and young professionals designed and built spacesuit and rover prototypes that addressed challenges such as passive thermal regulation, anti-fogging helmet designs, and dust mitigation. The finalists tested their creations in the desert of Wadi Rum, where future analog missions would later take place.

These competitions revealed the creativity, skill, and determination of Jordan’s youth. They proved that the next generation is ready to shape the future of space exploration when given the chance.