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Explore big ideas. Build
bold futures.

Step into the future of innovation with a student competition that bridges space exploration and entrepreneurial thinking.

Stay informed about
upcoming milestones:

NASA ORBIT participants taking a group selfie during the Pitch Showcase.
NASA ORBIT participants presenting their project poster during the Pitch Showcase
NASA ORBIT participant discussing her team's project during the Pitch Showcase

Photo credit: NASA/Helen Arase Vargas

NASA wants to hear your groundbreaking ideas.

The NASA ORBIT Challenge invites university and community college students nationwide to work with real NASA intellectual property and mission challenges.

Choose your path: develop commercial applications of NASA patents that solve problems here on Earth (ORBIT Earth), or design next-generation technologies for space exploration (ORBIT Space). The most ambitious teams can pursue both through the optional Integration Bonus.

Compete for up to $380,000 in prizes, receive mentorship from NASA experts, and present your work at an in-person showcase. Finalists gain access to an exclusive accelerator program designed to launch careers in STEM and entrepreneurship.

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