The Moon 2 Mars Student Space Challenge aims to bring together high school students to develop concepts to solve existing NASA challenges. Small groups of students will work together to solve real NASA Gap Analysis challenges in a) robotics and automation in harsh environments, b) sustainable agriculture on remote planets and c) human and sociological challenges in space. The experience includes team-based exploration of Moon to Mars Mission Challenges, direct engagement with space experts actively working in the field, guided discussions informed by real mission experience and exposure to how large-scale space missions are planned and executed.
Working together in small teams, students will brainstorm in the 2-day program and develop their own ideas on how to solve existing NASA gap challenges with experts in the field. This is not aimed at just repeating a known science problem, but developing answers to how can NASA's actual problems be solved.
Competition Process
Student teams will hear from experts what has been done in the three focus areas and what are the current remaining challenges facing the space community. The student teams will then develop ideas, perform research and develop their own concept solution. The in-person experts will help the students keep their concepts on track and to be able to address the gap challenges facing NASA scientists and engineers today. Several opportunity to present their concepts and get feedback will be done through out the two day event, concluding in a final presentation of their concepts.Judging Criteria
No submission is needed prior. Teams will work together at the 2-day event to develop their concept solutions, and to present these to the space experts for feedback and refinement. A simple poster board presentation will be generated by the team at the event that summarizes thier concept. The emphasis will be on working together and the creativity of the solution, and not on the final presentation quality.Participate
Website: https://www.moon2marsfoundation.org/hackathon
Managing Organization: Moon 2 Mars Foundation
Eligibility:
The Space Hackathon is open to all students that have completed the 8th grade through 12 grade (can have graduated in 2026), and can attend in person in Pittsburgh, PA for the two day program. The topic areas have been selected to cover a wide ranch of subject matter and student's interest. This is not only for technical students, but students who want to explore and develop new concepts to challenges that NASA is currently facing.
The Space Hackathon is open to all students that have completed the 8th grade through 12 grade (can have graduated in 2026), and can attend in person in Pittsburgh, PA for the two day program. The topic areas have been selected to cover a wide ranch of subject matter and student's interest. This is not only for technical students, but students who want to explore and develop new concepts to challenges that NASA is currently facing.
Registration Dates
March 1, 2026
12:01am PST
Registration Opens
May 15, 2026
12:01am PDT