Rules & Eligibility
Version 1.1
september 23, 2026
These are the Official Challenge Rules for this competition. This page is the sole authoritative source for all competition requirements, eligibility criteria, deadlines, and procedures. Any information appearing elsewhere, including but not limited to, on other websites, emails, presentations, or promotional materials, is provided for reference only and is not considered official.
Challenge Overview
The NASA ORBIT (Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology for the Workforce) Challenge is a multi-phase, student-focused competition designed to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators, engineers, entrepreneurs, and researchers. The challenge invites Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and eligible Institutions of Higher Education to create teams made up of their students and students at any college or university around the United States. These teams are tasked to create bold new ideas that respond to NASA’s and Earth’s needs, either by developing novel commercial applications of NASA-owned intellectual property (IP) or designing concepts that address mission-aligned challenges.
The NASA ORBIT Challenge offers a unique opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience designing and pitching their ideas. Through the competition, participants receive mentorship, gain access to subject matter experts, and have the chance to win monetary prizes and participate in a post-competition accelerator designed to help advance their careers and technologies.
The NASA ORBIT Challenge encourages innovation not only in space applications but also in ways that impact life on Earth. The goal of The NASA ORBIT Challenge is to create a launchpad for breakthrough ideas that are grounded in technical feasibility and aimed at real-world implementation.
The competition includes two distinct tracks:
- Track 1: ORBIT Earth: Teams in this track will select a NASA-owned patent and propose a novel application of the technology that addresses a terrestrial problem. These ideas should demonstrate a clear pathway to market or public benefit through the development of a new product or service.
- Track 2: ORBIT Space: Teams in this track will design a new concept to enhance current or future NASA missions. These submissions may be conceptual but must be grounded in technical feasibility and mission relevance.
Additionally, there is an optional Integration Bonus for teams that creatively and convincingly combine the objectives of both tracks into a single solution.
Definitions
Lead Institution: A Lead Institution is the Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Tribal College and University (TCU), or eligible Institution of Higher Education listed as eligible on the U.S. Department of Education’s FY 2026 Eligibility Matrix that serves as the lead institution for a team. It must be a U.S.-based, accredited college or university, incorporated in and maintaining a primary place of business in the United States. The Lead Institution is responsible for submitting the team’s application and, if selected, will receive any award on behalf of the team. A Lead Institution may have more than one team participate in the competition.
Team: A team is a group of up to six eligible student members. Each team must be supported by at least one faculty advisor who is employed at the Lead Institution. Team members must be enrolled as full-time or part-time undergraduate or graduate students at accredited U.S.-based institutions and must meet all participant eligibility requirements. At least 60 percent of the team members must be enrolled at the Lead Institution. Teams may include students from other institutions, including non-HBCUs/TCUs/Eligible Institutions of Higher Education, provided they meet all eligibility criteria. Each student may only participate on one team. The team functions as the primary unit of participation and submission in the competition.
Concept: For the purposes of the deliverables, a concept is a tangible or digital representation of a proposed solution that demonstrates the core functionality, feasibility, and design intent of the idea. Teams are not required to provide a physical working concept. Concepts may vary in fidelity and format depending on the team’s goals and resources. Accepted formats may include, but are not limited to:
- Concept of Operations (ConOps) documents
- Digital twins or software simulations
- CAD designs or technical schematics
- Interactive visuals, AR/VR environments, or storyboards
- System block diagrams or user interaction flows
- High-level architecture models or model-based systems engineering artifacts
Teams are encouraged to focus on clearly demonstrating their ideas in a concrete and communicable way, rather than achieving a polished or production-ready version. The goal is to showcase how the solution would work, who it serves, and how it enhances an existing or future NASA mission or provides a valuable terrestrial application (depending on the track).
There is no minimum required fidelity or scale, but the final submission must include a concept that helps reviewers understand the proposed design, its functionality and feasibility.
Challenge Goals & Background
The NASA ORBIT Challenge is structured to support interdisciplinary collaboration and to create tangible value in both space and Earth-based domains. The goals of the challenge include:
- Inspiring creative, student-led solutions to NASA IP and mission-aligned problems
- Translating NASA-owned patents into viable terrestrial products or services
- Supporting students in gaining practical experience
- Providing a pathway into NASA’s innovation ecosystem and the broader tech sector
- Strengthening collaboration across technical and entrepreneurial disciplines within colleges and universities
- Equipping students with workforce technical skills, business development training, and career guidance
The NASA ORBIT Challenge provides a unique opportunity to work directly with NASA assets, ideas, and needs. Students are encouraged to push the boundaries of what is possible while learning valuable skills in systems design, entrepreneurship, stakeholder research, and product development.
Submissions
- All submissions must be the work of the student team members.
- A team’s coach or other adult mentors may provide guidance to the team; however, they may not make excessive contributions to the project submissions. The coach may provide logistical support in recording videos, capturing data, and completing activities, but the structure, content, and information included in the submission must be the work of the students.
- Submissions may not plagiarize material, all facts, figures, charts, or other information used must be cited.
- All submission materials shall be submitted electronically through the Institute of Competition Sciences’ (ICS) online platform.
- Submissions must be uploaded by the submission deadline noted on the Challenge website. No late submissions will be allowed.
- Required submission materials are noted in the Challenge Project Guide available on the Team Dashboard.
Eligibility
NASA welcomes applications from accredited U.S.-based community colleges, colleges, or universities. Teams may be a combination of full-time or part-time undergraduate and/or graduate students and can include senior capstone students, clubs, multi-university teams, or multi-disciplinary teams, as long as all team members meet the eligibility requirements below.
- Eligible Lead Institutions and Teams
- Teams must be part of a Lead Institution.
- The Lead Institution must be an HBCU, TCU, or Eligible Institution of Higher Education (EIHE) listed as eligible on the U.S. Department of Education’s FY 2026 Eligibility Matrix.
- All institutions listed on the HBCU tab of the FY 2026 Eligibility Matrix are eligible.
- All institutions listed on the TCCU tab of the FY 2026 Eligibility Matrix are eligible.
- Institutions labeled as “Eligible” under column G of the SIP tab are eligible.
- Institutions labeled as “Ineligible” under column G of the SIP tab are not eligible.
- Lead Institutions must be an entity incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States.
- Lead Institutions may submit multiple teams and associated entries to the competition.
- Faculty Advisor Requirements
- Each team must have at least one faculty advisor.
- A faculty advisor may support multiple teams.
- The faculty advisor must:
- Be a full- or part-time employee of the Lead Institution.
- Be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or foreign nationals meeting the criteria below.
- Serve as the team lead for the purposes of eligibility.
- Acceptable faculty advisors include:
- Current or previous professors.
- Deans or department chairs.
- Other faculty members or administrators employed full- or part-time by the Lead Institution.
- Team Composition
- Teams must consist of six (6) or fewer student members, not including the faculty advisor.
- At least 60% of the team members must be from the same Lead Institution as the faculty advisor.
- The remaining team members may be from any other U.S. college or university (HBCU/TCU or not), provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Teams may include any combination of:
- Full-time or part-time students.
- Undergraduate or graduate students.
- Students may only participate on one team.
- Teams may add and remove team members up until the STEM Gateway application closes.
- Past Participants and Prior Projects: For purposes of this section, a Prior Project is a concept entered in a previous NASA ORBIT Challenge. A Prior Project is associated with each student listed as a team member when it was entered. A Returning Student is any student who participated in a previous NASA ORBIT Challenge.
- Returning Students: Returning Students may participate again and remain eligible to receive prizes, including students who were members of prize-winning teams.
- Non-Winning Prior Projects: A Prior Project that did not receive a Phase 3 first-, second-, or third-place prize may be entered again, provided at least one student associated with the Prior Project is a member of the current team. The Prior Project must demonstrate significant advancement since it was previously entered and may not simply reproduce or lightly revise the earlier submission. Significant advancement may include meaningful changes to the proposed solution, concept, plan, or approach to supporting a NASA mission or Earth application. The current team may include new students and may have a different team name, faculty advisor, and/or Lead Institution.
- Winning Prior Projects: A Prior Project that received a Phase 3 first-, second-, or third-place prize may not be entered again. This restriction applies to the Prior Project regardless of changes to its team membership, team name, faculty advisor, or Lead Institution.
- New Projects from Past Winners: Students associated with a Winning Prior Project may participate again with a new project in the same track as the previous winning submission. For Track 1: ORBIT Earth, the new project must utilize different NASA-owned intellectual property. For Track 2: ORBIT Space, the new project must address a different NASA Civil Space Shortfall. Alternatively, if the prior project was in Track 1: ORBIT Earth they can participate in Track 2: ORBIT Space and vice versa.
- Disclosure and Review: During Phase 1, each team must disclose whether any team member is a Returning Student and whether its entry is based on a Prior Project. The disclosure must identify the previous year, team name, project title, track, NASA-owned intellectual property or NASA Civil Space Shortfall selected, and any first-, second-, or third-place prize received. During Phase 2, a team continuing a non-winning Prior Project must briefly describe how the project has significantly advanced since it was previously entered. ICS may request previous submission materials and will determine compliance with these requirements during the screening process.
- Individual Eligibility
- All team members must:
- Be 18 years of age or older at the time of registration.
- Be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or foreign nationals meeting the criteria below.
- Be enrolled full-time or part-time (undergraduate or graduate) at a U.S.-based accredited college or university.
- All team members must:
- Foreign Citizen Participation
- Foreign citizens may participate only if they meet one of the following:
- Are employees of an otherwise eligible U.S. entity who reside in the U.S.
- Are full-time students at an otherwise eligible U.S. university or college who reside in the U.S.
- Are owners of less than 50% of the interests in an otherwise eligible U.S. entity who reside in the U.S.
- Important Note:
- Eligible foreign citizens may participate fully in the competition.
- However, due to NASA security regulations, foreign citizens may not be approved to attend onsite culminating events at NASA centers (including tours).
- If approved to attend, they must provide current passport information prior to the event.
- Foreign citizens may participate only if they meet one of the following:
- Participation of U.S. Government Employees
- U.S. government employees (including Pathways and other interns) may participate only if:
- They are not acting within the scope of their employment; and
- They do not use government facilities, access, personnel, knowledge, or other resources obtained through their position – except for resources made available to all participants equally.
- U.S. government employees participating as individuals or representing an eligible Lead Institution are responsible for ensuring:
- Their participation is permitted by their agency’s rules and regulations.
- They have obtained any required authorization prior to participation.
- Failure to meet these conditions may result in disqualification of the individual or their Lead Institution.
- U.S. government employees (including Pathways and other interns) may participate only if:
- Ineligible Persons or Entities
- Federal entities or federal employees acting within the scope of employment are not eligible to win an award.
- Employees of the Institute of Competition Sciences (ICS), their subsidiaries, affiliates, and immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of residence) or persons living in the same household are not eligible.
- No Use of Government Funds
- If a team member is a government contractor or employed by one:
- Their participation may be restricted.
- If they or their employer are receiving government funding for similar projects, they are not eligible for an award under this competition.
- The U.S. government may have intellectual property rights in any solution developed under a government contract, grant, or cooperative agreement.
- Under such conditions, teams may not be eligible for an award.
- If a team member is a government contractor or employed by one:
- Registration and Compliance
- All team members must register and comply with all requirements outlined in the competition rules and participant agreement.
- Proof of Eligibility
- Each team must submit:
- A completed team agreement signed by all members and their faculty advisor.
- Faculty advisor letter confirming their commitment to supporting the team.
- Proof of enrollment for each team member, using one of the following:
- Official or unofficial transcript showing active enrollment status.
- Letter from the registrar confirming enrollment.
- Letter from faculty advisor confirming enrollment.
- Each team must submit:
- Distribution of an Award
- If a Lead Institution is selected as a winner, any award will be made to the Lead Institution that registered and submitted the application. The Lead Institution and the team’s faculty advisor warrant that the appropriate officers, executives, managers, or other persons who have the authority to approve participation in this competition have approved the entry, and they understand that these terms will be binding on your entity. Furthermore, the Lead Institution and the team’s faculty advisor understand that if they enter without obtaining the appropriate approval, NASA may, in its sole discretion, disqualify the entry. Finally, if an entity is selected to receive an award, an officer or person entitled to bind the entity will be required to validate that they are entitled to receive the award, and the officer or person entitled to bind the entity must provide the appropriate information for payment of the award.
- Treatment and Use of Intellectual Property
- Each application should reflect the anticipated ownership, use, and licensing of any intellectual property. With the exception of the specified NASA patent or software, the Lead Institution and the team’s faculty advisor represent and warrant that the entry is an original work created solely by the team, that the team owns all intellectual property in and to the entry, and that no other party has any right, title, claim or interest in the entry, except as expressly identified by the team to us in writing in your application. The team retains all rights, title, and interest in any inventions, software, or work of authorship they invent or create. The ownership and use of intellectual property arising from this competition remains with the team. NASA may choose to negotiate for a license to use the solutions developed as a result of this competition.
Competition Structure
The competition includes two distinct tracks and four phases.
Two Tracks and Optional Integration Bonus
The tracks include:
- Track 1: ORBIT Earth
- Teams in this track will select a NASA-owned patent and propose a new or improved terrestrial product or service based on that NASA-owned patent. These ideas should demonstrate a clear pathway to market or public benefit. NASA-owned patents must come from the NASA Technology Transfer Program Patent Portfolio (https://technology.nasa.gov/patents) and/or the NASA Technology Transfer Program Software Catalog (software.nasa.gov).
- Track 2: ORBIT Space
- Teams in this track will design a new concept that enhances a current and/or future NASA mission. These submissions may be conceptual but must be grounded in technical feasibility and mission relevance. Teams must address a challenge from NASA’s list of strategic gaps at NASA’s Civil Space Shortfalls (https://www.nasa.gov/spacetechpriorities/).
- Optional Integration Bonus
- The optional Integration Bonus is a cash award designed to incentivize interdisciplinary thinking and real-world applicability. One Integration Bonus will be available in each pathway. It may be awarded to a finalist team that goes beyond the core deliverables of its pathway by integrating the objectives of the other pathway in a meaningful and demonstrable way.
- Teams must still designate a primary pathway for submission, and their entry will be judged primarily within that pathway. Teams that complete the additional Integration Bonus requirements will compete only against other eligible teams in their primary pathway for the Integration Bonus available within that pathway.
- If submitting in Track 1: ORBIT Earth, teams must also:
- Develop a concept that demonstrates the function or value of the proposed product or service to a NASA mission as well as to an Earth application.
- Clearly demonstrate how the NASA IP is integrated into the concept .
- Ensure the concept is aligned with trustworthy systems, especially if the application has safety, security, or mission-critical implications.
- If submitting in Track 2: ORBIT Space, teams must also:
- Include a terrestrial commercialization plan that identifies potential Earth-based markets for their concept or its subsystems.
- Demonstrate how their mission-aligned concept could be adapted for non-space use, e.g., in energy, health, mobility, climate resilience, etc.
- Outline a path to market entry, including customer discovery, market validation, and value proposition design.
Four Phases
The NASA ORBIT Challenge includes four phases that guide teams through idea development, design, demonstration, and advancement. More detail on these are included in the Deliverables section below.
- Phase 1: Ideation (Non-Competitive Checkpoint)
- Teams register, select their track, and submit preliminary materials outlining their idea. This phase ensures that teams understand the challenge and are prepared for deeper development. All teams that complete the Phase 1 requirements by the submission deadline advance to Phase 2.
- Phase 2: Design + Development (Judged Milestone Phase)
- Teams refine their concepts, incorporating research, mockups, feasibility analysis, and project plans. Judging occurs at the end of this phase, and up to ten teams per pathway are selected to move on as finalists.
- Phase 3: Demonstration (Judged In-Person Event)
- Finalist teams attend an in-person showcase where they present their solutions through posters, live pitches, and Q&A with a panel of judges. First-, second-, and third-place winners and the People’s Choice, Faculty Advisors’ Choice, Next Steps, and Integration Bonus awards are selected during Phase 3. Teams competing for the Integration Bonus will also demonstrate how their solution bridges both pathways.
- Phase 4: Accelerator (Support Phase)
- Finalist teams participate in a virtual accelerator focused on technical refinement, commercialization planning, and professional development. The accelerator includes workshops, mentoring, and curated modules to support future growth and success. Parts of the accelerator will begin in Phase 2 and Phase 3, while some will occur after Phase 3 ends.
Competition Timeline
Phase | Dates | Activities |
|---|---|---|
Phase 1: Ideation | Sept 14, 2026 – Dec 14, 2026 Submission Deadline: Dec 14, 2026 at 3:00 pm Eastern | Registration, advisor approval, eligibility documentation, initial concept submission |
Phase 1 Checkpoint | Rolling through Dec 14, 2026 Submission Deadline: Dec 14, 2026 at 3:00 pm Eastern | Submissions checked for completeness, teams notified within 7 days |
Phase 2: Design + Development | Jan 15, 2027 – March 22, 2027 Submission Deadline: March 22, 2027 at 3:00 pm Eastern | System development, validation, business modeling, technical testing |
Phase 2 Judging | March 23, 2027 – April 14, 2027 at 3:00 pm Eastern | Downselect up to 10 teams per pathway for Phase 3 |
Phase 3: Demonstration | Summer 2027 Submission Deadline: TBD | Live pitches, poster sessions, and Q&A with judges |
Phase 4: Accelerator | Summer 2027 | Virtual mentorship program, technical and commercialization development |
Prize Structure & Distribution
Up to $500,000 in prize purses will be available. Prizes will be distributed as follows:
Phase | Track | Number of Teams (Up To) | Prize Per Team (Up To) | Total Payout (Up To) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Phase 1: Ideation | Both | Unlimited | No Prize Purse | Not Applicable |
Phase 2: Design + Development | ORBIT Earth & ORBIT Space | Up to 10 per track | $15,000 | $300,000 |
Phase 3: Track Placement Awards | ORBIT Earth & ORBIT Space | Up to 3 per pathway | 1st: $30,000; 2nd: $25,000; 3rd: $15,000 | $70,000 per pathway / $140,000 total |
Phase 3: People’s Choice Award | ORBIT Earth & ORBIT Space | ORBIT Earth & ORBIT Space | $5,000 | $10,000 |
Phase 3: Faculty Advisors’ Choice Award | ORBIT Earth & ORBIT Space | 1 per pathway | $5,000 | $10,000 |
Phase 3: Next Steps Award | ORBIT Earth & ORBIT Space | 1 per pathway | $10,000 | $20,000 |
Phase 3: Integration Bonus | ORBIT Earth & ORBIT Space | 1 per pathway | $10,000 | $20,000 |
Phase 4: Accelerator | All Finalists | Up to 14 | No Prize Purse | Not Applicable |
Speciality Prizes
Faculty Advisors’ Choice Award
Two Faculty Advisors’ Choice Awards of $5,000 each will be available, one in ORBIT Earth and one in ORBIT Space. Faculty advisors will select the finalist team in the pathway opposite their own that best demonstrates the student-centered qualities described below. The award will be paid to the winning team’s Lead Institution.
- During the in-person Showcase, each participating faculty advisor will be assigned a balanced group of approximately five finalist teams from the opposite pathway to visit and learn about.
- A faculty advisor may not evaluate their own team or a team from their institution.
- Only faculty advisors who complete all assigned team visits may submit a ballot.
- Each eligible faculty advisor will rank their top three assigned teams. First-place rankings will receive three points, second-place rankings will receive two points, and third-place rankings will receive one point. The eligible team receiving the most points in each pathway will receive the award.
- Faculty advisors will consider only qualities they can reasonably observe during the Showcase: student ownership and understanding of the project; clear communication; thoughtful responses to questions; openness to feedback and different perspectives; and professionalism.
- NASA and ICS may adjust assignments as needed to maintain balanced coverage and may resolve ties or other voting issues in a manner consistent with the purpose of the award.
Next Steps Award
Two Next Steps Awards of $10,000 each will be available, one in ORBIT Earth and one in ORBIT Space. The award recognizes the finalist team in each pathway with the strongest realistic plan for advancing its project after NASA ORBIT.
- Each finalist team must submit a Next Steps Plan of no more than two pages by the Phase 3 submission deadline.
- The plan must identify one meaningful milestone the team can realistically accomplish within the 12 months following the Showcase.
- The plan must describe the actions and timeline for reaching the milestone, responsible team members, required resources or partners, the greatest anticipated barrier and how the team will address it, and any relevant steps already taken.
- Milestones may include, for example, building or testing a prototype, presenting the project at a conference, conducting additional customer or user research, pursuing an SBIR or another funding opportunity, establishing a partnership, or completing another specific step toward implementation.
- A review panel will evaluate the clarity and significance of the milestone; the specificity and feasibility of the action plan; the team’s understanding of required resources, partners, and barriers; and evidence that the team is prepared to act.
- Receipt of the award does not create a contractual requirement that the team complete every activity described in its plan.
Integration Bonus
One $10,000 Integration Bonus will be available in each pathway. Eligible ORBIT Earth teams will be evaluated against other eligible ORBIT Earth teams, and eligible ORBIT Space teams will be evaluated against other eligible ORBIT Space teams. Required written materials must be submitted by the Phase 3 submission deadline and may be reviewed before the in-person Showcase.
Total Maximum Prize Payout: $500,000
Prize payments are made to the Lead Institution. Distribution among team members is at the discretion of the Lead Institution.
Deliverables
All deliverables must be submitted by the deadlines listed in the timeline. Submissions that do not meet the formatting and/or content requirements may be disqualified. More detail on the formatting guidelines is included in the Formatting and Submission Guidelines section of these Rules. Deliverables must be submitted through the official submission portal as outlined in the Registration and Submission section below. Videos must be hosted on a public YouTube or other video streaming platform that is accessible without login or account creation.
Deliverables by Phase
Phase 1: Ideation
Submission Deadline: December 14, 2026
Overview Paper (≤ 5 pages for one track/≤ 6 pages for optional integration bonus)
| Track 1: ORBIT Earth | Track 2: ORBIT Space |
|---|---|---|
Accept the Challenge | ● Register for NASA STEM Gateway ● Complete Team Agreement/Waiver ● Provide eligibility materials (student’s unofficial transcript or brief letter from a faculty member or advisor verifying the student’s status) ● Faculty advisor approval | ● Register for NASA STEM Gateway ● Complete Team Agreement/Waiver ● Provide eligibility materials (student’s unofficial transcript or brief letter from a faculty member or advisor verifying the student’s status) ● Faculty advisor approval |
Past Participation Disclosure, if applicable |
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Project Proposal | ● Choose your pathway ● Initial Project Summary | ● Choose your pathway ● Initial Project Summary |
Optional for Integration Bonus | ● Show how the concept might evolve into a valuable product or service leveraging NASA IP. | ● Show how NASA IP could be adapted into the proposed concept solution to enhance a NASA mission. |
Pre-Project Survey |
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Phase 2: Design + Development
Submission Deadline: March 22, 2027
Technical Paper (≤ 15 pages)
| Track 1: ORBIT Earth | Track 2: ORBIT Space |
|---|---|---|
Executive Summary: A high-level overview of the project, its purpose, and key outcomes expected. | ● Briefly describe the commercial product/service concept, market opportunity, and how NASA IP is applied. | ● Summarize the problem being addressed, proposed concept, and expected enhancements to a current or planned NASA mission.
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Prior Project Advancement Statement, if applicable |
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Problem Statement & Opportunity: Define the core challenge, need, or market gap your team is addressing. | ● Describe the real-world problem or opportunity for commercialization; include initial customer/stakeholder insights. | ● Detail the NASA-related challenge, technology gap, mission objective, or user need that your concept addresses. |
Solution Overview: Present your core idea and its functionality. | ● Describe the proposed product/service and how it creates value. Include value proposition and IP integration. | ● Describe the technical concept and solution strategy. Include functional goals and brief system or operational overview.
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Technology Relevance and Innovation: Explain how NASA IP is utilized and/or how new technology is developed. | ● Identify the NASA IP, how it’s used in your product/service, and your integration strategy. | ● Describe how your proposed system or design draws on existing research, emerging technologies, or NASA priorities. Explain what makes your approach novel, and how it advances or complements current capabilities related to space exploration. |
Validation & Research: Summarize research and early validation efforts. | ● Summarize customer discovery (minimum 5 interviews), competitor or market research, feasibility analysis. | ● Summarize design iteration process, early technical testing (if any), lessons learned, and potential challenges. |
Project Planning: Outline project execution, timeline, and next steps. | ● Describe a plan to develop a minimum viable product (MVP)
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Impact & Alignment: Connect your project to broader impacts. |
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Appendices (Optional): Include supplementary content as needed (Appendixes can have + 5 pages). | Optional inclusion of: ● Interview summaries ● References cited ● IP documentation ● Letters of Support | Optional inclusion of: ● Interview summaries ● References cited ● IP documentation ● Letters of Support |
Optional for Integration Bonus (Technical Paper can have + 3 pages) | ● Early-stage concept (physical, digital, or video walkthrough). The Integration Bonus items will not be scored. They are included to ensure that any teams interested in the integration bonus are prepared to deliver the judged items during Phase 3.
| ● IP integration in the working system and accompanying explanation of how IP improved or enabled key functionality. The Integration Bonus items will not be scored. They are included to ensure that any teams interested in the integration bonus are prepared to deliver the judged items during Phase 3. |
Visual Concept (≤ 10 pages or slides)
| Track 1: ORBIT Earth | Track 2: ORBIT Space |
|---|---|---|
Visual Concept: Illustrate your idea visually. | ● Mockups, early-stage UI/UX designs, storyboards, promotional visuals, or diagrams of product/service. ● Technical specifications | ● Concept models/mockups, sketches, block diagrams, or system drawings. ● Technical specifications
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Project Video (≤ 10 minutes)
| Track 1: ORBIT Earth | Track 2: ORBIT Space |
|---|---|---|
Video | ● Provide a Pitch Video describing your concept | ● Provide a video walk-through, demonstration, and/or explanation of the concept |
Optional for Integration Bonus (Submission can have + 4 minutes) | ● Provide a Video walk-through or demonstration of the concept ● The Integration Bonus items will not be scored. They are included to ensure that any teams interested in the integration bonus are prepared to deliver the judged items during Phase 3. | ● Pitch Video ● 2-page commercialization plan outlining potential Earth-based uses and markets. These materials will be judged at this time. ● The Integration Bonus items will not be scored. They are included to ensure that any teams interested in the integration bonus are prepared to deliver the judged items during Phase 3. |
Note: Faculty advisors should not be in the videos.
Phase 2 Survey
| Track 1: ORBIT Earth | Track 2: ORBIT Space |
|---|---|---|
Survey | ● Google Form Survey upon completion of Phase 2 | ● Google Form Survey upon completion of |
Phase 3: Demonstration
Submission Deadline: TBD
| Track 1: ORBIT Earth | Track 2: ORBIT Space |
|---|---|---|
Deliverables | ● Research Poster (printed) ● 1-page handout (e.g., abstract)
● Live Presentation (≤ 10 minutes) (Teams may manage their live presentation however they see fit, including slides, hands-on demonstrations, etc.) ● Live Judging Q&A Session (≤ 15 minutes) | ● Research Poster (printed) ● 1-page handout (e.g., abstract)
● Live Presentation (≤ 10 minutes) (Teams may manage their live presentation however they see fit, including slides, hands-on demonstrations, etc.) ● Live Judging Q&A Session (≤ 15 minutes) |
Optional for Integration Bonus | ● Low-fidelity concept and ≤ 2-page feasibility brief demonstrating IP-to-product pathway. These materials will be judged at this time. ● Additional information in Live Presentation (Submission can have + ≤ 5 minutes to presentation)
| ● ≤ 2-page commercialization plan outlining potential Earth-based uses and markets. These materials will be judged at this time. ● Additional information in Live Presentation (Submission can have + ≤ 5 minutes to presentation)s
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Physical Project Exhibit Item (Optional) | ● If desired, Finalist teams may bring a physical project exhibit item to the Pitch Showcase event.
| If desired, Finalist teams may bring a physical project exhibit item to the Pitch Showcase event.
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Post-Event Survey |
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Note: Faculty advisors should not participate in their team’s final presentation or Q&A. They may attend these activities as observers and may participate in the poster session and Faculty Advisors’ Choice Award activities. Faculty advisors may not evaluate their own team or another team from their institution.
Phase 4: Accelerator
NASA ORBIT strives to support students in further developing both their technology and business ideas and their own career pathways. To support these goals, NASA ORBIT offers accelerator modules to all NASA ORBIT participants and dedicated mentorship opportunities to the teams selected as Phase 3 finalists. Accelerator modules may be offered throughout the competition, with the majority taking place after the completion of Phase 2 and continuing through the end of Phase 3. Most accelerator activities will take place virtually and may include presentations, fireside chats, panel discussions, and interactive workshops. Topics may include technical development and validation, customer and stakeholder discovery, commercialization and business planning, project management, communicating and pitching ideas, identifying funding and partnership opportunities, and professional and career development. Students will also receive information about potential NASA internships and credentialing opportunities. Individual students who complete a specified number of accelerator modules will receive a certificate of completion.
Each finalist team will be paired with a mentor who may be able to help the team further develop its idea, identify realistic next steps for advancing the project, and/or explore relevant educational, professional, and career opportunities. Mentorship activities will take place virtually and will generally include two meetings with the assigned mentor. Teams will be responsible for scheduling and preparing for these meetings and identifying the topics or questions they would like to address. Additional information about the accelerator schedule, certificate requirements, mentorship structure, and participation expectations will be provided during the competition
The NASA ORBIT Challenge Longitudinal Survey: 2028
Complete a short survey one year following participation to help NASA access the long-term impacts of the ORBIT program.
Formatting and Submission Guidelines
The following guidelines apply to all deliverables regardless of the phase:
General Formatting for All Papers, Presentations, and Videos
- File Naming: All files must include the team name and track designation (ORBIT Earth or ORBIT Space) in the file name.
- Language: All materials must be submitted in English. Materials submitted in languages other than English will not be reviewed and the submission will be considered incomplete.
- Footer: For papers and presentations, the footer must include the team name and page numbers.
- Cover Page/Title Slide: All deliverables must include a cover page or title slide. This will not count against the page limit in a presentation or paper deliverable. The cover page or title slide must include the following:
- Team Name
- NASA Intellectual Property Selected (if submitting in Track 1: NASA Earth)
- Lead Institution Name (if it is a combined team, list all institutions with the Lead Institution first)
- Faculty Advisor Information: Include the faculty advisor information listed below.
- First and Last Name
- Email Address
- Associated College or University Employed By
- Team Member Information: Include all team members information.
- First and Last Name
- Email Address
- Associated College or University
- Use of NASA logo: NASA logos, including the “meatball” or “worm,” may not be used in any of the team’s submission items. However, the NASA ORBIT logo is permitted for use in team materials.
- Compliance with Deliverable Limits: Entries that exceed the page, slide, or time limitations specified in the Deliverables section may be disqualified from consideration for advancement or awards.
Papers
- Font: Arial or Cambria, no less than 11 point font
- Margins: No less than 0.75 inch on all sides
- File Format: PDF
Presentations
- File Format: PDF
Drawings, Schematics, or Technical Illustrations
- File Format: High-resolution PDFs or image files (PNG or JPG)
Videos
- Platform: Public YouTube channel or any public video streaming service
- Accessibility: Must be viewable without login or creating an account
- Title Format: Include the team name and phase in the title
Posters
- 48 x 36 inches
- Include team name
Use and Disclosure of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is permitted in this challenge. Teams may use AI to develop their solutions and prepare their submissions.
However, if a team uses AI tools or models (such as ChatGPT, Copilot, or others) to help create any part of their submission or solution (e.g., text, images, analysis, code, or design), they must clearly state that use and briefly describe how the AI was used.
In addition, teams are strongly encouraged to carefully review any AI-generated text or graphics to ensure accuracy, credibility, and alignment with the high technical standards of this challenge.
Judging
The NASA ORBIT Challenge uses a multi-step evaluation process designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and consistency across all competing teams. Submissions in both Phase 2 (Design + Development) and Phase 3 (Demonstration) undergo the same three-part process: Screening, Scoring, and Voting.
- Screening: Compliance & Completeness Check
- Before formal scoring begins, all submissions undergo a screening review to verify that teams have met the required guidelines for their phase. Screening ensures that:
- All deliverables listed for the phase are submitted.
- Formatting requirements are followed.
- Videos, documents, and visuals are accessible and functional.
- Page limits, time limits, and file types meet specifications.
- Before formal scoring begins, all submissions undergo a screening review to verify that teams have met the required guidelines for their phase. Screening ensures that:
- Scoring: Evaluation by NASA and Industry Judges
- Submissions that pass screening move into the scoring phase, where a panel of NASA subject matter experts, technical reviewers, and industry professionals evaluate each project using detailed rubrics aligned with the objectives of the ORBIT Earth and ORBIT Space pathways. Judges may review and score designated Phase 3 written materials before the in-person Showcase. Judges independently review and score each submission before group deliberation. Judges will use the scoring rubric that is publicly available on the NASA ORBIT webpage.
- Voting: Final Deliberation and Selection
After initial scoring, all projects that exceed a predefined quality threshold advance to a final deliberation stage during the Judges’ Meeting. During this meeting, judges collectively discuss high-scoring submissions, compare strengths, evaluate trade-offs, and consider the broader goals of the competition. The purpose of voting is to ensure that selection decisions incorporate expert judgment and contextual understanding beyond numerical results alone.
Following discussion, judges cast votes to determine the official list of Phase 2 Finalists and, later, the Phase 3 first-, second-, and third-place winners, the Next Steps Award, and the Integration Bonus. The People’s Choice Award and Faculty Advisors’ Choice Award are selected through the separate voting processes established for those awards.