How to Apply for NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2026 — Free 48-Hour Global Hackathon

There is no written application to clear — you enter by registering and then building during the event itself.

• Step 1: Register for free through the official competition page before the event begins.
• Step 2: Join virtually or at a local event and form your team — you may register alone and find teammates on the day.
• Step 3: Build for 48 hours, from 2 to 4 October 2026, working on the published challenges using NASA's open data.
• Step 4: Local judging — your project is first assessed where you compete.
• Step 5: Global judging — the top projects are nominated to NASA's international judging panel and presented to NASA scientists and engineers, who decide the global recognition.