# NASA Opens ORBIT Challenge Applications

NASA has opened registration for the 2026–2027 season of the ORBIT Student Challenge, offering up to $500,000 in total prize funding to university and college teams developing Earth-focused applications of NASA patents or technologies for space exploration. Registration closes November 16, 2026, 47 days from September 30. The challenge is a prize opportunity, not a conventional procurement solicitation.

- Universities and research organizations can assess whether their teams’ proposed applications align with the challenge and prepare registration before the deadline.
- Contractors and other industry stakeholders may find opportunities to mentor participating teams or support technology development; the signal does not identify a contract award or vendor selection.
- The prize funding and challenge structure may provide a pathway to advance applications of NASA technology, but the signal does not specify individual prize amounts or detailed participation requirements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Education
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** September 29, 2026

### Government Entities
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

### Sources
- [NASA Opens Applications for Second Season of ORBIT Student Challenge - NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/research-program-for-students/) - NASA