NASA Welcomes All Ages, Experience Levels for Space Apps Challenge

Registration is open for the 2026 NASA Space Apps Challenge, a two-day global event on Saturday, Nov. 15, where teams work to create solutions inspired by NASA’s most ambitious exploration goals and making use of the agency’s free and open data.

The annual challenge, often called a hackathon, is an intensive, collaborative problem-solving experience where participants tackle real-world challenges created by NASA subject matter experts. This year’s Space Apps Challenge collectively supports three major focus areas: returning humans to the Moon, preparing for missions deeper into the solar system, and expanding understanding of the universe.

At NASA, science is for everyone, and we’re inviting the next generation to help tackle some of humanity’s most critical challenges in space through the NASA Space Apps Challenge,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in.

These include work related to surface operations at the Moon’s South Pole, the management of environmental constraints such as sunlight and communications windows, as well as approaches for evaluating the logistical and scientific demands of long‑duration lunar stays. Strengthening readiness for Mars, deep space NASA’s exploration strategy includes continued robotic exploration of the outer solar system and preparing for future human missions to Mars.

Several challenges involve operational concepts for Martian surface activities, integrating data from multiple Mars missions, or reflecting the mission‑design trade‑offs required for deep‑space exploration. Others address fundamental concerns for long‑duration travel, such as monitoring physiological and behavioral health indicators, or examining how engineering and scientific choices shape mission execution in environments far from Earth.

Some of these challenges also align with NASA’s broader exploration portfolio, which includes ongoing work on future missions to destinations such as Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Titan.

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