{"slug":"nasa-space-apps-2026","name":"NASA International Space Apps Challenge","edition":"2026","year":2026,"organizer":"NASA Space Apps Global Organizing Team","kind":"agency-open-data-challenge","format":"hybrid","region":"global","countries":[],"city":null,"venue":"In-person and virtual Local Events worldwide, plus the virtual Universal Event","start_date":"2026-11-14","end_date":"2026-11-15","duration_hours":48,"participants":null,"teams":null,"team_size":"1-6","theme":"The Next Frontier!","tracks":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2026-08-26","what":"Registration opens"},{"date":"2026-09-17","what":"Challenge summaries published; team formation opens"},{"date":"2026-10-28","what":"Full challenge statements with data sets and requirements"},{"date":"2026-11-02","what":"Space Apps Connect opens"},{"date":"2026-11-13","what":"Project Submission and Judging & Awards guides published"},{"date":"2026-11-14","what":"Hackathon starts; project submission opens 09:00 local time"},{"date":"2026-11-15","what":"Submission closes 23:59 local time"},{"date":"2026-12-31","what":"December 2026: Global Nominees, Finalists and Honorable Mentions announced"},{"date":"2027-01-31","what":"January 2027: Global Winners announced"}],"prizes":[],"judging":{"criteria":[{"lens":"impact","label":"Impact","description":"Carried from 2025 until the 2026 Judging & Awards guide is published (2026-11-13)."},{"lens":"originality","label":"Creativity","description":"Carried from 2025."},{"lens":"scientific-validity","label":"Validity","description":"Carried from 2025."},{"lens":"challenge-relevance","label":"Relevance","description":"Carried from 2025."},{"lens":"storytelling-pitch","label":"Presentation","description":"Carried from 2025."}],"judge_profile_summary":"Expected three phases as in 2025: Local/Universal Event judges → NASA and Space Agency Partner subject-matter experts → an executive committee of agency leaders.","judges":[],"notes":"Criteria and award list are provisional until 2026-11-13. Recognition for 2026 Global Winners is 'to be announced'."},"required_tech":["At least one NASA data source or resource (expected, as in 2025)"],"sponsors":[],"submission_requirements":["Teams of at most six, all registered for the same Local Event or the Universal Event","Teams must not begin working on the challenges before the hackathon","Submit through the team's project page on spaceappschallenge.org by the end of the Local Event"],"results_status":"upcoming","roster_coverage":"none","entries":[],"organizer_takeaways":[],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.spaceappschallenge.org/resources/participant-faqs/","kind":"official-event-page","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14","note":"Dates, theme, timeline, team rules, no work before the hackathon."},{"url":"https://www.spaceappschallenge.org/2026/","kind":"official-event-page","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14","note":"Registration, team size, submission window."}],"curator_notes":"Dogfood target for the /hack-plan harness (hack-plan/nasa-space-apps-2026/). Prior: nasa-space-apps-2025."}