Get your 3-D printers ready. NASA has announced a $2.25 million contest to design and build a 3-D–printed habitat suitable for deep space exploration. The competition is part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges program, which seeks to engage the public in the development of advanced technology.

Sustainable shelters for astronauts are crucial for deep space exploration, but there is limited room for cargo on these long journeys. As NASA looks to send humans to Mars and beyond, the agency wants to develop 3-D–printable habitats that can be manufactured with indigenous materials or parts from the spacecraft.

The competition will be broken into two phases. The first focuses on design concepts for the habitats, and the winners, who will be announced in September at the 2015 World Maker Faire in New York, will split a $50,000 pot. The next phase has two levels, each with a $1.1 million prize. Competitors in Level One are asked to create technology that allows for the 3-D printing of indigenous or recycled materials, while competitors in Level Two will actually be producing full-scale habitats with those materials.

“The possibilities for 3-D printing are inspiring, and the technology is extremely important to deep space exploration,” said Centennial Challenges program manager Sam Ortega in a statement. “This challenge definitely raises the bar from what we are currently capable of, and we are excited to see what the maker community does with it.”

For more information visit nasa.gov. *