Design Space Systems
for Human Exploration

The Collaborative Lab for Advancing Work in Space

Hardware
Develop Robotics and Electronic Components
Research
Explore Potential Design Approaches for AR
Artificial Intelligence
Develop Autonomous and Intelligent Systems
UX Design
Design AR and Peripheral Interfaces
Infrastructure
Develop Web Systems for AR and Peripherals
Augmented Reality
Develop AR Mission Software and Peripherals
Content
Produce Media and Manage Social Platforms
Business
Manage Team Operations, Events, and Outreach

The Collaborative Lab For Advancing Work in Space

CLAWS is an interdisciplinary organization at the University of Michigan dedicated to advancing human space exploration through ambitious, student-driven engineering and research projects. Our 5 core teams—Development, Hardware, UX, Research, and Business—collaborate to design, build, and evaluate innovative technologies while providing members with hands-on experience, professional development, and a supportive community that fosters collaboration, curiosity, and personal growth.

CLAWS is an interdisciplinary organization at the University of Michigan dedicated to advancing human space exploration through ambitious, student-driven engineering and research projects.

CLAWS NASA SUITS 25-26 Cycle

This past May, CLAWS was invited to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where we showcased our systems and received feedback from Artemis Astronauts, ISS Directors, and leading researchers at NASA.

2026 Challenges

NASA Micro-g NExT Challenge

NASA SUITS Challenge

NASA’s MICRO-G Neutral Buoyancy Experiment (NExT) design challenge invites students to design and build tools for astronauts on the lunar surface.

NASA's SUITS design challenge invites students to design user interfaces for EVA and PR operations on the lunar surface.

CLAWS Photo Gallery

Work-time with Northeastern University at Johnson Space Center, testing our Pressurized Rover and AR HUD on a mission
Our UX Team debriefing our evaluator on user controls
Monitoring our Mission Control server to ensure
accurate data transfers during testing
Our design evaluator conducting
the test mission at the rockyard
A closer look of the testing process at JSC
for the SUITS challenge
The hardware team built a physical button
integrated with eye gaze for user input
A mirrored view of the HoloLens 2
showing a user adding a waypoint to a map
During the final test week, NASA provides tours
and detailed presentations of their facilities

Engaging with the larger MCommunity at the XR Summit
The Web Team working on new features in the fall
A snapshot of our Unity onboarding
The hardware team hard at work soldering a PCB
Members of the AI team learning more
about AI during onboarding
Presentations each week on the progress of the project
helped members understand the scope better
High school students in a cybersecurity class brainstormed UX problems they could solve at their school
Students at an outreach event
trying our previous AR applications

Thank you Noah Feller, Jamie Zhou, Robert Markowitz, and James Blair for many of these photos