What if your school project could actually fly on a NASA-sponsored balloon mission?
The NASA TechRise Student Challenge 2026–2027 invites students in Grades 6–12 to design a real science or technology experiment. The winning teams receive $1,500 to build their experiment and a chance to send it on a high-altitude balloon flight reaching up to 95,000 feet.
Quick Facts
- Opportunity Type: NASA STEM Student Competition
- Organizers: NASA Flight Opportunities & Future Engineers
- Eligible Students: Grades 6–12
- Nationality: U.S. students/schools only
- School: Public, private or charter schools in the U.S. and eligible U.S. territories
- Team Size: 4+ students
- Teacher Required: Yes — one educator/school employee must lead the team
- Prize: $1,500 build funds per winning team
- Flight: NASA-sponsored high-altitude balloon test
- Flight Altitude: Approximately 70,000–95,000 feet
- Flight Duration: Approximately 4–8 hours
- Application Fee: Free
- Deadline: November 2, 2026, 11:59 PM PT
- Prior Experience: Not required
- Age Limit: No separate age requirement stated; eligibility is based on Grades 6–12
This Is a Team Challenge — Not an Individual Application
This is important.
You cannot apply individually as a student.
To participate, you need:
4 or more students + 1 eligible educator/school employee + a qualifying U.S. school.
The educator/team lead submits the team’s proposal through the Future Engineers platform.
So if you’re a student interested in TechRise, your first step is to find a teacher or school employee who can lead your team.
What Will You Build?
Teams design a science or technology experiment that can be tested during a high-altitude balloon flight.
Challenge areas can include topics such as:
- Climate and Earth science
- Imaging
- Space exploration
- Sensors
- Other NASA-relevant science and technology concepts
You don’t need to already be an aerospace expert.
The program provides resources and guidance to help students develop their ideas.
What Do Winning Teams Get?
60 winning teams will receive:
- $1,500 in build funding
- A starter kit including an experimental flight box
- Virtual technical support and expert guidance
- A place for their completed experiment on a NASA-sponsored high-altitude balloon flight
The $1,500 is project funding, not a personal cash prize for students.
Your Experiment Could Actually Fly
This is what makes TechRise particularly exciting.
Winning teams don’t just build a prototype for a classroom presentation.
Their experiment is prepared for a real flight test on a high-altitude balloon, reaching approximately 70,000–95,000 feet.
Flights are expected to provide roughly 4–8 hours of experiment time.
Who Can Participate?
Students must be enrolled in Grades 6–12 at an eligible U.S. school.
Eligible schools include:
- Public schools
- Private schools
- Charter schools
- Schools in eligible U.S. territories
Students participate as part of a team of at least four students.
A teacher, educator or eligible school employee must serve as the team lead.
Can International Students Apply?
Not directly.
The challenge is designed for students attending eligible U.S. schools and schools in qualifying U.S. territories.
A student studying at a school outside the United States cannot independently enter the competition.
Do You Need Previous Experience?
No.
You don’t need previous aerospace, coding or engineering experience.
The challenge provides introductory resources, brainstorming materials and technical guidance to help student teams develop their experiment.
Important Dates
- September 3, 2026: Challenge opens
- September 22, 2026: NASA TechRise Virtual Field Trip
- November 2, 2026: Applications close
- January 19, 2027: Winners announced and build phase begins
- May 19, 2027: Completed experiments due
- Summer 2027: Flight testing
Why This Is Worth Applying For
A lot of student competitions end with a certificate or a trophy.
This one can end with something much cooler:
Your team’s experiment actually flying to the edge of space.
And NASA provides $1,500 in project funding to help make it happen.
Don’t Miss the Next Hidden Gem
Your next big STEM opportunity might not be a scholarship.
It could be a NASA challenge that lets you build something that actually flies.
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