NASA ORBIT Challenge 2027

Applications are now open for the NASA ORBIT Challenge 2027, a competition for university and college students in STEM, research, business, and innovation fields. Registration closes on November 16, 2026. The challenge offers up to $500,000 in prizes, awarded to Lead Institutions, along with mentorship from NASA experts. It is open to student teams at U.S. institutions, and the source does not mention an application fee. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Organizer: NASA
• Level: Undergraduate and graduate students (full time or part time)
• Location: United States
• Registration Close Date: November 16, 2026
• Open to All Nationalities: Only students who meet the foreign citizen rules below

About the NASA ORBIT Challenge:

ORBIT stands for Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology. It is a multiphase innovation competition that invites students to work with real NASA intellectual property and mission challenges. Teams build solutions that benefit life on Earth and in space.

The challenge has four phases. Along the way, teams receive NASA mentorship and training in technical and entrepreneurial skills. They also gain hands on experience in systems design, research, concept development, and commercialization.

Also Check: NASA Paid Internship Programs 2027

Choose Your Track:

Teams choose one of two tracks:

• ORBIT Earth: Create new commercial applications of NASA owned patents that solve problems on Earth.
• ORBIT Space: Design mission enhancing concepts that address NASA’s strategic technology gaps and support space exploration.

The most ambitious teams can also pursue the optional Integration Bonus. This is for projects that bridge Earth and space applications.

What This Challenge Offers:

• Up to $500,000 in total prizes for winning teams, awarded to Lead Institutions
• Track awards, specialty awards, and the optional Integration Bonus
• Mentorship from NASA experts
• Technical and entrepreneurial training
• Hands on experience in systems design, research, concept development, and commercialization
• A chance to present your work at an in person showcase
• Access to an exclusive accelerator program for finalists, designed to launch careers in STEM and entrepreneurship
• A pathway into NASA’s innovation ecosystem

Also Check: NASA STEM Opportunities and Activities for Students

Eligibility Criteria:

Lead Institution Requirements

• Every team must be part of a Lead Institution.
• The Lead Institution must be identified as an MSI, HBCU, or TCU.
• It must be incorporated in the United States and have its primary place of business there.
• A Lead Institution may submit multiple teams and entries.

Team Composition

• Teams can have 6 or fewer student members, not including the faculty advisor.
• At least 60% of team members must be from the same Lead Institution as the faculty advisor.
• The remaining members can come from any other U.S. college or university, whether it is an MSI, HBCU, or TCU or not, as long as they meet the eligibility rules.
• Teams can include full time or part time students, and undergraduate or graduate students.

Individual Eligibility

All team members must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or foreign nationals who meet the criteria below
• Be enrolled full time or part time (undergraduate or graduate) at a U.S. based institution

Faculty Advisor Requirements

Each team must have at least one faculty advisor. One advisor may support multiple teams. The faculty advisor must:

• Be a full time or part time employee of the Lead Institution
• Be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or foreign national who meets the criteria below

Acceptable faculty advisors include:

• Current or previous professors
• Deans or department chairs
• Other faculty members or administrators employed full time or part time by the Lead Institution

Foreign Citizen Participation

Foreign citizens can take part only if they meet one of these conditions:

• They are employees of an otherwise eligible U.S. entity and reside in the U.S.
• They are full time students at an otherwise eligible U.S. university or college and reside in the U.S.
• They own less than 50% of the interests in an otherwise eligible U.S. entity and reside in the U.S.

Important note: Eligible foreign citizens can participate fully in the competition. However, because of NASA security regulations, they may not be approved to attend onsite final events at NASA centers, including tours. If approved, they must provide current passport information before the event.

Also Check: NASA Space Apps Challenge with Certificate, Global Hackathon

Programs Available:

• ORBIT Earth
• ORBIT Space
• Integration Bonus (optional, bridging Earth and space applications)

How to Apply:

1. The student Team Lead creates a NASA STEM Gateway account or logs in. New users click “Login” and then “Not a member?” to create an account.
2. Search for the 2026/27 NASA ORBIT Challenge opportunity and click the “Apply” button.
3. Only the Team Lead completes and submits the main application.
4. When the application asks for team members, enter the exact names and email addresses of each person.
5. Click the “Send Invite(s)” button before moving to the next page.
6. Teammates receive an email. They must log into their own STEM Gateway accounts and accept the team invitation before the final application deadline.

Also Check: NASA Open Science Trainings with free Certificate