NASA Opens Applications for Second Season of ORBIT Student Challenge

NASA has re-launched its ORBIT (Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology) Student Challenge for its second season, following the success of the inaugural year. The registration for the 2026-2027 challenge remains open until November 16, 2026, on the NASA STEM Gateway platform. This expanded competition offers up to $500,000 in total prize funding for university and college student teams to showcase their innovative ideas.

Teams have the opportunity to participate in two tracks: ORBIT Earth and ORBIT Space. The Earth track requires participants to utilize a NASA-owned patent and develop commercial or nonprofit applications addressing critical terrestrial issues. Conversely, the Space track focuses on developing viable concepts for next-generation space exploration technology to support NASA's Artemis program and future lunar, Martian, and interstellar initiatives.

Top-tier teams earn the privilege of presenting their solutions at the in-person Pitch Showcase, where a panel of expert judges evaluates them based on their presentations and interactive Q&A sessions. The competition also features two additional awards: the Faculty Advisors’ Choice Award, which honors professionalism and cross-team communication, and the Next Steps Award, which recognizes teams with the most robust plans for continuing their project development post-challenge.

Beyond the core prizes, ORBIT aims to cultivate interdisciplinary talent by providing students with invaluable hands-on experience in NASA's core missions, direct access to agency mentors, and industry-ready skills bridging academia and aerospace careers. For more information regarding competition details, eligibility requirements, and official rules, visit https://nasaorbit.org/.