NASA Opens Registration for 2026 Space Apps Challenge

Registration opened Thursday for the 2026 NASA Space Apps Challenge, a two-day global event on Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15. The agency said teams will work to create solutions inspired by NASA's exploration goals using the agency's free and open data.

The challenge, often called a hackathon, supports three focus areas. These include returning humans to the Moon, preparing for missions deeper into the solar system, and expanding understanding of the universe. The agency said participants do not have to be programmers. Students, scientists, engineers, designers, storytellers, technologists, and space enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels can contribute their skills.

Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said science is for everyone and the next generation is invited to help tackle challenges in space through the event. She said participants can use NASA's data sets to help build an interplanetary survival guide supporting science that will enable astronauts to thrive on the Moon and eventually Mars.

The agency said several challenges relate to lunar missions through the Artemis program. These include surface operations at the Moon's South Pole, management of environmental constraints such as sunlight and communications windows, and approaches for evaluating the demands of long-duration lunar stays.

The agency said other challenges involve operational concepts for Martian surface activities, integrating data from multiple Mars missions, and trade-offs required for deep-space exploration. Some challenges address concerns for long-duration travel, including monitoring physiological and behavioral health indicators.

Participants can join one of more than 500 local events, join a team, and select a challenge to address during the November hackathon. The event runs Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15.