2026 THEME:
Designing a Sustainable Future Beyond Earth
National Space Sustainability Competition
Submission Deadline
ABOUT
What is the Competition?
The National Space Sustainability Competition invites grades 6-8 to rethink how humans can live and work sustainably beyond Earth. Teams propose bold solutions for building habitats, systems, and tools that support life beyond Earth.
Competition Overview
Submissions Include:
Mission Brief
A 2-3 page briefing covering the problem they have chosen to tackle, their solution, an explanation of how it works, and a sustainability snapshot.
STEM Component
Students will engineer or design a concept model to further demonstrate how their solution functions.
Video Pitch
A 3-minute video summarizing their solution and showcasing their creativity, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking.
PARTICIPANT ROLES
Student
Teams of 2-4 students research, design, and present their solutions
Teacher/Sponsor
An educator or parent to help guide the students through the process
Mentor
An advisor to bring real-world industry experience and offer feedback
Judge
Experienced space-sector professionals who evaluate and score student entries
why participate?
Big ideas start now.
2026 Theme:
Designing a Sustainable Future Beyond Earth
Solve real-world problems
Learn from space professionals
Build STEM and teamwork skills
Gain national recognition on National Space Day
Contest Challenge:
Build the Blueprint for a Sustainable Settlement.
You and your team are mission designers! Your challenge is to propose a concept that addresses one or more key sustainability challenges of living beyond Earth through architecture, infrastructure, and technology.
To complete your mission, your solution must:
- Support human activity (e.g., habitats, energy, mobility, life support)
- Address sustainability principles (e.g., reuse, modularity, efficiency, resilience)
- Include technical, economic, and social considerations
- Reflect an understanding of STEM, entrepreneurship, and global cooperation
How it Works
Form a Team
2–4 students plus an adult mentor
Explore the Challenge
Learn about this year’s theme
Create Your Idea
Design your solution for a sustainable future beyond Earth
Submit Your Project
Share your concept before the deadline
Celebrate on National Space Day
Winners revealed May 1, 2026
Prizes for the National Space Sustainability Competition
Your creativity could launch you into the winner’s circle! To celebrate the creativity and innovation of our top teams, we’re offering exciting prizes to the first-, second-, and third-place winners.
All winning teams will receive scholarship awards that recognize their hard work and are designed to fuel their educational future in STEM and design.
These prizes are designed to encourage young innovators to keep dreaming big, solving problems, and thinking about how we can build a more sustainable future—on Earth, the Moon, and beyond.
2025 THEME: SPACE DEBRIS
WINNERS
1st Place
HexaTrap
PVNet Advanced Technology Education Center –
Rolling Hills Estates, CA
Team Members:
Eugene K.
8th grade
Harry K.
7th grade
Philip R.
7th grade
Ezra H.
7th grade
2nd Place
Mycelium Net
PVNet Advanced Technology Education Center –
Rolling Hills Estates, CA
Team Members:
Max R.
7th grade
Jackson S.
7th grade
Joseph J.
7th grade
3rd Place
Orbital Ecosystems Engineers
Stone Hill Middle School –
Ashburn, VA
Team Members:
Avee C.
7th grade
Neil S.
7th grade
Vibhav M.
7th grade
Aarav P.
7th grade
NATIONAL SPACE DAY COMPETITION
Key Dates
Registration Opens:
October 27, 2025
Submission Deadline:
January 31, 2026
Winners Announced:
May 1, 2026 (National Space Day)
Competition FAQs
What is the National Space Sustainability Competition?
The National Space Sustainability Competition is a unique challenge focused on creating sustainable architecture, systems, or tools to answer the challenges of living beyond Earth, ensuring the future of sustainable space exploration.
Who can enter?
The competition is open to any students in grades 6-8. A teacher, parent, or legal guardian, 18 years or older, must submit the entry on behalf of the student team. See Official Rules for details.
How do I enter?
Gather a group of 2 to 4 teammates and visit the competition website. Follow the provided registration instructions to receive a Submission Guide. Ensure all required materials are submitted before the deadline of January 31, 2026.
What do I need to submit?
Student teams are asked to design a solution that tackles the issue of building a permanent presence beyond Earth. A team’s complete submission will include:
Mission Brief: Teams will create a 2-3 page briefing covering the problem they have chosen to tackle, their solution, an explanation of how it works, and a sustainability snapshot highlighting how their solution supports reusing or recycling materials, safe energy use, minimal waste, human comfort & safety, and long-term use.
STEM Component: Students will engineer or design a concept model to further demonstrate how their solution functions. This could be a CAD Diagram or Model (2D, 3D, or hand-drawn), Labeled Technical Drawing, System Diagram, or Physical Prototype
Video Pitch: Each team will produce a 3-minute video summarizing their solution and showcasing their creativity, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking.
What files can I submit?
Acceptable file formats include PDF, MP4, MOV, PNG, and JPG. Ensure all files adhere to the specified size and format requirements outlined in the submission guidelines.
Does it cost anything to enter?
There is no cost to submit an entry for the contest.
What are the prizes?
Exciting prizes for the winners of the National Space Sustainability Competition are being finalized. First, second, and third place teams will receive a scholarship and further details surrounding the grand prize will be announced soon.
What are the judging criteria?
Creativity and Innovation (25%): Originality and uniqueness of the solution for addressing the team’s chosen challenge.
Feasibility and Practicality (25%): How realistic the solution is given current technologies and future possibilities.
Technical Presentation (25%): Clarity and thoroughness in explaining engineering design through modeling.
Mission Brief (15%): Clear, thoughtful, and creative overview of the entire submission
Video Pitch Quality (10%): Overall effectiveness and creativity of the presentation.
What is the submission deadline?
All entries are due by 5:00 p.m. MST, January 31, 2026.
When are the winners selected?
Judging will take place throughout the month of February with the winners being announced on National Space Day – May 1, 2026
How will the winners be contacted?
Winners will be contacted via the contact information provided during the submission process.