National Space Sustainability Competition

The National Space Sustainability Competition invites 7th and 8th grade students to envision innovative solutions to one of space exploration’s greatest challenges: managing space debris.

The 2025 competition has ended.

Stay tuned for the next competition!

Competition Overview

The Space Sustainability Competition invites teams of middle school students to design a solution that tackles the issue of space debris. Teams will work on: 

  • Developing an Engineering Solution: Students will design a concept to manage or reduce space debris using modeling software or physical representations. 
  • Creating a Business Plan: Teams will outline a strategy to commercialize their idea, including naming their product and creating outreach ideas to bring their solution to a broader audience. 
  • Presenting a Video Pitch: Each team will produce a 3-minute video summarizing their solution and showcasing their creativity, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking. 
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Engage students in understanding and solving real-world issues related to space sustainability. 

Inspire interest in STEM and space-related careers, showing students that their skills have relevance in a global industry.

Encourage creative thinking and collaboration in designing solutions for complex challenges. 

By focusing on the critical issue of space debris, the Space Sustainability Competition helps students discover that the space industry is much larger than they may have imagined, with career opportunities that span across diverse fields. 

Addressing the Need for Space Sustainability

As humanity continues to explore and utilize space, orbital debris — also known as space junk — has become a pressing issue. Today, space debris poses risks to both active satellites and future missions, affecting industries and services that rely on satellite technology, from communication to weather forecasting. 

With the space industry projected to grow significantly over the next few decades, solving the problem of orbital debris is essential for safe and sustainable space operations. Careers in the space sector offer exciting and rewarding opportunities, from engineering and technical roles to business, logistics, and communications. However, for the space industry to achieve sustainable growth, we need skilled, innovative thinkers prepared to tackle complex challenges — starting with students who are just beginning their educational journey in STEM.