📌 About the Mission

The National Space Innovation Challenge 2026 (NSIC 2026) is a project-based space engineering competition for students across India. Organized in partnership with educational outreach partner SDRO and support from Navapragyan, the competition engages school students to solve real-world problems in satellite technology, planetary science, robotics, and sustainable space engineering.

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🗓️ Important Dates & Timeline

• Registration Opens: July 20, 2026
• Registration Deadline: August 30, 2026
• Official Challenge Release: September 14, 2026
• Project Development Window: September 14, 2026 – October 15, 2026
• Submission Deadline: October 15, 2026
• Winner Announcement: November 2026

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👥 Eligibility & Age Divisions

Division	Age Group	Focus Area
Explorer	Ages 6–7	Guided observation and basic space models
Innovator	Ages 8–10	Engineering design & physical/digital working prototypes
Researcher	Ages 11–13	Independent hypothesis testing and documented research
Space Pioneer	Ages 14–16	Advanced project defense matching national panel standards

• Participation Mode: Individual or school team entry (schools may register multiple students across all age divisions).

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🚀 Space Innovation Domains

Participants can select from nine frontiers of active space research:

• D01: Satellite Technology
• D02: Moon Missions
• D03: Mars Missions
• D04: Space Robotics
• D05: Artificial Intelligence
• D06: Earth Observation
• D07: Planetary Science
• D08: Space Sustainability
• D09: Future Space Transportation

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⚖️ Judging Criteria & Weightage

Submissions are evaluated by a national panel across seven core weighted parameters:

• Innovation: 90 points
• Scientific Understanding: 85 points
• Engineering: 85 points
• Research Quality: 85 points
• Creativity: 80 points
• Feasibility: 75 points
• Presentation: 70 points

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🏆 Awards & Recognition

• National Young Innovator Award: Top national honor awarded to the single highest-scoring overall project.
• Gold, Silver & Bronze Medals: Awarded to top three projects in each of the 4 age divisions.
• Innovation Excellence Award: Given for the most original approach to a challenge brief.
• Category Winners: Awarded to the top project in each innovation domain.
• Certificates: Official national digital participation certificate for all students who complete and submit a project.