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A historian who studies wage gaps between races and a saxophonist whose live performances include a chef are among the latest recipients of the philanthropic group's annual, no-strings-attached $800,000 grants.

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Ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission launch, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are vertical at the launch pad of Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in this Sept. 27, 2026, photo.

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station for a long-duration science mission on Oct. 1.

Image credit: SpaceX

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NASA Opens Applications for Second Season of ORBIT Student Challenge

Following a successful inaugural year of ingenuity and career building, NASA ORBIT (Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology) has officially returned for a second season to bring university and college student innovation to the forefront of Earth technology development and deep-space exploration.

Registration for the 2026–2027 challenge is open through Monday, Nov. 16, 2026, through the NASA STEM Gateway.

Expanded for its second season with up to $500,000 in total prize funding, NASA’s ORBIT invites student teams to explore their boldest ideas and invent their brightest solutions. Through the competition, students must conduct targeted research, conceptualize early models, and perform feasibility analyses to refine their proposals. Top-performing teams earn a spot at the in-person Pitch Showcase to present their solutions to a panel of expert judges, who select award recipients based on their presentations and interactive Q&A sessions.

ORBIT has two challenge tracks for teams to choose from. Participants in the ORBIT Earth track must select a NASA-owned patent and develop novel commercial or nonprofit applications addressing critical terrestrial problems. Whether reimagining drones for reduced noise pollution or designing improved medical technology for better patient care, students must demonstrate clear pathways to public benefit.

The ORBIT Space focuses on next-generation space exploration technology designed to support NASA’s Artemis program and future initiatives to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Teams competing in this track develop viable concepts for power, communications, navigation, living solutions, astronaut health and well-being, and more.

Projects that successfully unite the goals of both the Earth and Space tracks can also qualify for a special Integration Bonus, but this season also introduces two new specialty recognitions: the Faculty Advisors’ Choice Award, celebrating professionalism and cross-team communications, and the Next Steps Award, recognizing teams with the strongest roadmaps to continuing their project development after the conclusion of the challenge.

Together with core prizes, ORBIT celebrates student excellence and drives key technical solutions while building a pipeline of interdisciplinary talent. The challenge provides students with immersive experience in NASA’s core missions, direct access to agency mentors, and industry-ready skills that bridge academia and aerospace careers.

For complete competition details, eligibility requirements, and official rules, visit: https://nasaorbit.org/

Registration is open until Nov.16, 2026, through the NASA STEM Gateway.

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Omar Alyousef
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Cade Armstrong
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Compact magnetic heat switch for thermal management of long duration low power exploration missions

Austin Bodin
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Rapid Robust Trajectory Design via Motion Funnels in Multi-Body Systems

William Bodnar
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Near-field Thermophotovoltaics for Extraterrestrial Surface Power Generation

Diana Bolanos
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Origami-inspired lattice architectures for robotic assembly and reconfiguration of modular space structures

Annalise Cabra
University Of Colorado, Boulder
Development of RF Hydrogen Plasma for Ion-Assisted Metal Processing of Lunar Regolith

William Callahan Eshleman
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Plume-Surface Interaction Experiments for Physics-Informed Ejecta Modeling

Alexander Chin
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Adaptive Wire-Bent Compliant Attachment Aids for Small Satellite Docking and ISAM Applications

Eric Comstock
Georgia Institute of Technology
Vlasov Simulation Methods for Air Breathing Electric Propulsion

Rachel Constantin
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High-Speed Tomographic Background-Oriented Schlieren for Supersonic Retropropulsion Characterization

Andrew Dean
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Power and Mass Determination for Scalable Molten Salt Powered Lunar Outposts

Lars Erickson
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Embedded Normal Form Algorithms for Low-Cost Cislunar Navigation

Elsa Forberger
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Capability-Aware Planning and Control of Multi-Robot Teams for Resilient Lunar Cargo Transport

Abigail Glover
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Standardizing Regolith Terramechanics Properties via Multi-Modal Characterization for Risk-Aware Navigation in Rovers

Emily Gokie
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A low-SWaP timing system for distributed in-orbit and planetary surface platforms

Elan Graupe
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Model-Driven Navigation for Robust Spacecraft Atmospheric Entry and Descent

Nikki Hart
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Lifelong Plan Adaptation for Robot Manipulation Starting from One Example

Elizabeth Hoerber
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Theodore Houser
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Hannah Hutton
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Joseph Hwang
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John Lance
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Madison Lin
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Development of a Compact, Wide-Field X-ray Navigation Sensor for Simultaneous Multi-Pulsar Tracking

Emilia Mann
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Advanced, 3D Knit Autonomous and Reconfigurable Soft Robots for Sustainable Planetary Surface Logistics

Alanis Matias-Perez
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Linking Thermophysical Properties and Electrochemical Behavior in Molten Regolith Electrolysis

Connor McCleery
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Ultrafast, High-Temperature Sintering of Mechanically Robust, Spectrally Selective Coatings for Cryogenic Propellant Storage

Eleni Mowery
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Alexander Roush
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Adaptive Autonomy for Lunar Regolith Construction through Graph-Based Planning and Physics-Informed Surrogate Modeling

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Proposing an Advanced Heat Pipe: an Innovative Pumpless Flow Boiling Device

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Photos taken using a microscope reveal the colorful, kaleidoscope-like crystal structure of a new NASA-made material that could be used for manufacturing during future space missions. Developed at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, the material could be created directly on the Moon or Mars, allowing NASA to pack fewer supplies — saving weight and reducing launch costs. 

To make the material, research chemical engineer Allison Christy and her team of summer interns at NASA Glenn — Tyler Klinchuch, Ethan Bilodeau, and Emma Levenson — mixed a special plastic with simulated Moon and Mars dust. This plastic is biodegradable and could be produced by bacteria fed with crew waste or carbon dioxide. 

“The plastic literally grows within the bacteria’s little bodies,” Christy said. “It’s really cool.” 

The team found that incorporating simulated lunar and Martian dust particles into this plastic made it stronger and easier to process. Adding different types and amounts of dust allowed them to adjust the material’s properties. The gray image shows sample material manufactured using mock Moon dust, while the reddish image shows material made with mock Mars dust.  

The material could be used to manufacture equipment used inside future Moon or Mars habitats, like structural brackets, wrenches, or chairs. By potentially enabling on‑demand, fully recyclable fabrication with lunar surface material, this could help advance NASA’s objective of a permanent Moon Base by reducing resupply needs and empowering crews to build and repair essential equipment on-site. 

“You can’t just bring everything with you to the Moon or Mars,” Christy said. “If something breaks, you have to find a way to fix it with what you have. This is a very versatile material, which is a huge benefit.” 

Going forward, the team hopes to analyze whether this material could also be used outside in the harsh environments of the lunar or Martian surfaces.  

The material is now undergoing testing in Glenn’s Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig to see how it holds up in extreme temperatures. Several samples are also slated to launch aboard the upcoming Materials International Space Station Experiment 23 (MISSE-23) mission and will be exposed to intense conditions outside the station. 

This research is funded through NASA Glenn’s 2026 Center Innovation Fund, which is managed by the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate.  

Learn more about the program:

https://www.nasa.gov/center-innovation-fund/