1. NASA TechRise Student Challenge

Link: NASA TechRise Student Challenge
Deadline: Expected to open in September 2026 for the 2026-2027 cycle.
Brand: NASA and Future Engineers
Subject area: Space technology, engineering, experiment design
Brief description: Students in grades 6-12 design experiments that could fly on a suborbital flight platform. Great for students interested in payloads, sensors, environmental monitoring, plant growth experiments, habitat conditions, and NASA-style mission planning.

2. NASA Power to Explore Student Challenge

Link: Power to Explore Student Challenge
Deadline: 2025 deadline was February 9, 2025. Check for the next annual cycle.
Brand: NASA
Subject area: Essay, space power systems, planetary science
Brief description: A K-12 writing challenge where students imagine a mission powered by radioisotope power systems, the power source NASA uses for some deep-space missions.

3. NASA Dream with Us Design Challenge

Link: NASA Dream with Us Design Challenge
Deadline: 2025-2026 cycle has passed. Check NASA for the next cycle.
Brand: NASA Aeronautics
Subject area: Aviation, design, engineering, agriculture, sustainability
Brief description: Student teams design creative aviation solutions connected to real problems NASA Aeronautics is studying. Some cycles connect to agriculture, drones, crop monitoring, resilience, and food systems.

4. NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge

Link: NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge
Deadline: 2026 event took place April 10-11, 2026. Check NASA’s page for the next cycle.
Brand: NASA
Subject area: Engineering, rover design, Artemis, human exploration
Brief description: Middle school, high school, and college teams design and test rovers for mission-style terrain challenges related to human exploration.

5. NASA Student Launch

Link: NASA Student Launch
Deadline: NASA STEM Gateway listed registration ending June 30, 2026 for the 2026 middle/high school division.
Brand: NASA
Subject area: Rocketry, aerospace engineering, payload design
Brief description: A 9-month challenge where student teams design, build, test, and launch a high-powered rocket carrying a scientific or engineering payload.

6. NASA App Development Challenge

Link: NASA App Development Challenge
Deadline: On pause for 2026. NASA says it may return in 2027.
Brand: NASA
Subject area: Coding, app design, lunar data, Artemis
Brief description: A coding challenge for high school and community college students. NASA presents technical problems tied to deep space exploration.

7. NASA International Space Apps Challenge

Link: NASA Space Apps Challenge
Deadline: 2026 dates not posted yet. The 2025 event was October 4-5, 2025.
Brand: NASA and international space agency partners
Subject area: Hackathon, coding, design, storytelling, Earth and space data
Brief description: A global hackathon where teams use NASA and partner space-agency data to solve real-world Earth and space challenges. It welcomes coders, designers, scientists, storytellers, artists, and space fans.

8. NASA Mars to Table Food System Design Challenge

Link: NASA Mars to Table Food System Design Challenge
Deadline: Open until July 31, 2026.
Brand: NASA
Subject area: Space agriculture, Mars food systems, sustainability
Brief description: Participants design a self-sustaining food system for Mars by combining food production and preparation methods. This is not specifically high-school-only, but it is open to the global public and could work for advanced student teams with adult mentorship.

9. Genes in Space Contest

Link: Genes in Space Contest
Deadline: April 10, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
Brand: Genes in Space and ISS National Lab partners
Subject area: Space biology, genetics, biotechnology, ISS research
Brief description: Students in grades 7-12 propose DNA or biotechnology experiments that could help solve a space exploration challenge. Strong fit for students interested in space health, microbes, genetics, and biology in microgravity.

10. “Live in a Healthy Space” Design Contest

Link: National Space Society, Live in a Healthy Space
Deadline: Fall 2025 contest is closed. NSS says to stay tuned for the 2026 contest.
Brand: National Space Society
Subject area: Space agriculture, space settlement, food systems, habitat design
Brief description: Middle and high school students ages 12-18 design an agricultural module for a future space settlement. This is one of the clearest matches for students interested in growing food beyond Earth.

11. National Space Society Space Settlement Contest

Link: NSS Space Settlement Contest
Deadline: Check the current annual contest page.
Brand: National Space Society
Subject area: Space settlement, habitats, life support, sustainability
Brief description: Students up to grade 12, ages 11-18, design a free-orbiting space settlement anywhere in the solar system. Projects can include agriculture modules, water recycling, radiation protection, health systems, habitat layout, and governance.

12. National Space Society Space Settlement Art Contest

Link: NSS Contests Page
Deadline: Check current NSS contest page.
Brand: National Space Society
Subject area: Art, space settlement, visual storytelling
Brief description: Students create realistic, original artwork about humanity living and working in future space communities.

13. National Space Society Global Space Debates

Link: NSS Global Space Debates
Deadline: Typically late May or early June. Check current tournament page.
Brand: National Space Society
Subject area: Debate, space policy, ethics, governance
Brief description: Formerly called spUN Debates. This is a virtual debate tournaments for middle and high school students focused on space settlement, policy, inclusion, governance, and the future of human activity beyond Earth.

14. International Space Settlement Design Competition

Link: Space Settlement Design Competitions
Deadline: Varies by region and event. Check the official site for the current competition schedule.
Brand: Space Settlement Design Competitions / SpaceSet
Subject area: Space habitats, engineering, settlement planning, life support
Brief description: High school students work in aerospace-style teams to design future space settlements. Strong fit for students interested in how people would actually live, work, eat, sleep, and survive in space.

15. Cities in Space Student Competition

Link: Cities in Space Student Competition
Deadline: Check the current event page for the next cycle.
Brand: STEAMSPACE Education Outreach
Subject area: STEAM, space colonies, architecture, agriculture, engineering, art
Brief description: Student teams design space colony prototypes using engineering, science, architecture, art, video, 3D modeling, essays, and presentations. Colonies can be set in free space, on the Moon, Mars, or another extraterrestrial body.

16. Plant the Moon Challenge

Link: Plant the Moon Challenge
Deadline: Check the current season dates on the official site.
Brand: Institute of Competition Sciences, National FFA Organization, and University of Central Florida Exolith Lab partners
Subject area: Space agriculture, crop science, lunar soil, Mars soil, botany
Brief description: Student teams test how crops grow in simulated lunar or Martian regolith. It combines agriculture, botany, geology, planetary science, and NASA-inspired mission thinking.

17. Mars Society International Mission to Mars Design Competition

Link: Mars Society Mission to Mars Competition
Deadline: 2026 cycle announced in March 2026. Check the Mars Society page for current dates.
Brand: The Mars Society
Subject area: Mars missions, habitat planning, crew survival, food, life support
Brief description: High school students design a human mission to Mars lasting up to 18 months. Strong fit for students interested in Mars habitats, food supply, health, mission planning, and survival systems.

18. Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

Link: Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest
Deadline: Opens October 1 each year and closes February 1 of the following year.
Brand: Baen Books and National Space Society
Subject area: Science fiction writing, space exploration, storytelling
Brief description: A writing contest for serious, near-future science fiction about humanity’s expansion into the solar system. Useful for students interested in space storytelling, fiction, podcast scripts, and science communication.

19. Space Elevator Academic Challenge

Link: International Space Elevator Consortium
Deadline: Check current annual challenge page.
Brand: International Space Elevator Consortium and National Space Society
Subject area: Space infrastructure, engineering, research, writing
Brief description: High school and university students explore how space elevator systems could support space exploration, development, and settlement.

20. American Rocketry Challenge

Link: American Rocketry Challenge
Deadline: For 2026, registration closed December 6, 2025 and qualification flight submissions were due March 30, 2026.
Brand: American Rocketry Challenge
Subject area: Rocketry, aerospace engineering, physics
Brief description: The world’s largest student rocketry competition. Middle and high school teams design, build, and launch model rockets to meet specific performance goals.

21. National Young Astronomer Award

Link: National Young Astronomer Award
Deadline: March 31.
Brand: Astronomical League
Subject area: Astronomy research, observation, science communication
Brief description: An award for high-school-age students who complete strong astronomy research or observing projects. Students submit an application, astronomy project, activity summary, and optional exhibits.

22. USA Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad

Link: USA Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad
Deadline: For 2026, registration opened January 1 and closed January 31.
Brand: USA Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad
Subject area: Astronomy, astrophysics, physics, math
Brief description: A competitive exam pathway for students interested in astronomy and astrophysics. Best for students who like physics, math, stars, galaxies, and challenging problem-solving.

23. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair

Link: Regeneron ISEF
Deadline: Students qualify through local, regional, or state affiliated fairs. For 2026, ISEF took place May 9-15, 2026.
Brand: Society for Science and Regeneron
Subject area: Science fair, research, engineering, medicine, environment, space-adjacent topics
Brief description: A major international pre-college STEM research competition. Space-related projects can fit under physics, astronomy, engineering, environmental science, biology, computer science, Earth science, or medicine.

24. Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

Link: Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
Deadline: Varies by region. Check your regional JSHS site.
Brand: Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
Subject area: STEM research, oral presentation, poster presentation
Brief description: High school students submit original research and compete through regional and national symposia. Space-related research can fit if the project connects to engineering, biology, environmental science, data, physics, health, or technology.

25. Conrad Challenge

Link: Conrad Challenge
Deadline: The 2025-2026 cycle ran from August through April. Check the site for the next launch date.
Brand: Space Center Houston Conrad Challenge
Subject area: STEM innovation, entrepreneurship, aerospace, energy, health
Brief description: Student teams create innovations that solve real-world problems. A good option for students interested in space, aviation, climate, health, agriculture, or business-minded STEM projects.

26. National STEM Festival Challenge

Link: National STEM Festival
Deadline: 2026 U.S. applications are closed. The 2026 festival is June 23-27, 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Brand: National STEM Festival
Subject area: STEM projects, innovation, science communication
Brief description: U.S. students ages 13-19 submit STEM projects connected to real-world problems. Space-related project angles could include space health, space agriculture, climate from space, robotics, data, or engineering.

27. NPR Student Podcast Challenge

Link:NPR Student Podcast Challenge
Deadline: 2025 deadline was extended to May 25. Check NPR for the current cycle.
Brand: NPR
Subject area: Podcasting, audio storytelling, journalism, science communication
Brief description: Students in grades 4-12 create short podcasts on a topic that matters to them. Space-curious students could create episodes about Mars, astrobiology, space health, space ethics, space agriculture, or climate from space.

28. New York Times STEM Writing Contest

Link:New York Times STEM Writing Contest
Deadline: 2026 deadline was April 15, 2026. Check the official Learning Network page for the next cycle.
Brand: The New York Times Learning Network and Science News
Subject area: STEM writing, science communication, essay
Brief description: Students explain a STEM topic in clear, engaging language. Strong fit for students who want to write about space medicine, space food, exoplanets, black holes, NASA missions, or ethics in space exploration.

29. New York Times Student Podcast Contest

Link:New York Times Student Podcast Contest
Deadline: 2026 contest dates were April 8-May 13, 2026.
Brand: The New York Times Learning Network
Subject area: Podcasting, media, storytelling, journalism
Brief description: Students create an original podcast of 5 minutes or less. This can work well for space explainers, interviews, debate episodes, or audio essays about the future of life beyond Earth.

30. Great Women in Engineering and Science Essay Contest

Link: SWE Rocky Mountain Essay Contest
Deadline: March 20, 2026.
Brand: Society of Women Engineers, Rocky Mountain Section
Subject area: Essay, women in STEM, engineering, science history
Brief description: Students write about women in engineering and science. A space-related angle could profile a woman in aerospace, space biology, planetary science, space medicine, or NASA mission work.

31. Robert H. Herndon Memorial Science Competition

Link: Aerospace Corporation Space Coast Science Competition PDF
Deadline: Check the current packet or local event page for updated dates.
Brand: Aerospace Corporation and Space Coast education partners
Subject area: Essay, space science, collaboration, STEM
Brief description: Middle and high school students write essays connected to space and science themes. The 2026 theme was “Cosmic Collaboration: Working Together to Create Our Place.”