Eligibility

  • The competition is open to all nationalities and ages. Startups, companies, professionals, and students are all welcome to form teams.
  • Each team is allowed to have 2–8 members, but the participants may not work on multiple teams. We recommend forming interdisciplinary teams.
  • The participants in either the Implementation Category may also register for the Sponsor Special Topic. Those who do not participate in these groups may only register for the Sponsor Special Topic (one entry per team).
  • Each team may have up to 2 mentors/experts (optional), but the participants cannot serve as mentors/experts for their own team or any other team.
  • To ensure fairness, team names, project titles, submitted documents (preliminary and final review), videos, and presentations must not reveal team information, including names (team members and mentors/experts), affiliations (companies, schools, etc.), or any identifiable images (photos, logos, etc.). Violators will be disqualified. Only team members may participate in trainings and enter the presentation venue.

Challenge Themes

We focus on four key areas: “Ground Equipment and Services,” “Satellite Manufacturing,” “Satellite Services,” and “Satellite Launch”; the rest are categorized as “Others.” Participants are invited to propose relevant service scenarios and innovative solutions in these fields.

  • Ground Equipment and Services

    • Ground Stations: RF equipment, array antennas, power supply equipment, printed circuit boards, related electronic and mechanical components, data modulation and control, and others.
    • User Terminals: Very-small-aperture terminals (VSATs), array antennas, and data modulation and control, and others.

  • Satellite Manufacturing

    • Antennas and RF/baseband components and chips, software satellites, telemetry payloads, propusion,and others.

  • Satellite Services

    • Satellite communication applications and solutions, edge computing technology, satellite broadband services, satellite IoT services, satellite voice and narrowband data transmission, and integrated ICT services.
    • Satellite remote sensing and image recognition, data processing and other services.
    • Satellite network security and resilience, data encryption, quantum communication, and other services.

  • Satellite launch

    • Launch service matchmaking, launch service agency, and launch mission consulting and management, and others.

  • Other

    • AI-powered solutions, space debris removal, space radiation detection, spacecraft inspection technologies, space agriculture, microgravity experiments, and others.

Judging and Criteria

Implementation Category

Preliminary
Review

Online written review (in English)：
  • Submit written materials. Prepare a 10-slide proposal describing your project concept.

Final
Review

Proposal report and project demonstration review (in English)：
  • Prepare your proposal presentation.
  • Provide a visual display of the project, for example, the product, the prototype, a 3D model, dashboard, simulation, or other representations.
  • Provide a 90-sec project description video (with English subtitles).

35%

Theoretical or Technical Innovation

The completeness of the product or service in terms of its technological innovation and theoretical application.

25%

Business Feasibility Assessment

Financial planning for future commercial operations of the concept or product.

20%

Problem Solving

How the product or service may improve or solve the existing issues in the space industry.

20%

Future Impact

Clearly highlight the impact of space and satellite applications on future industries.

From now until the2026/06/30submission deadline

Sponsor Special Topic

To enhance the international visibility of participating teams and inspire emerging talent to propose diverse and innovative space applications, the competition invites international space enterprises to provide challenge statements. By aligning with industry needs, teams are encouraged to engage in brainstorming and develop solutions, fostering interaction and collaboration between the space industry and aspiring space talent.

  • Topic Description

    Topic：Micromissions for the Moon

    ** Proposal-based Only. No Prototyping Required **

    This Sponsor Special Topic invites participants to design a “micromission” of 1U to 8U under 5kg that consists of an innovative payload for future lunar missions. The payload can have any of the following objectives, with additional focus on potential collaboration and/or synergies with local government or industry capabilities. The proposed micromission can target a mission onboard ispace’s ULTRA lunar lander for operation on the lunar surface or lunar orbit.

    ◆ Scientific payload:
    To study the deep space environment such as radiation environment, thermal ecosystem, and lunar geology.
    ◆Industrial payload:
    To test high-end technologies such as lunar mining, resource collection, 3D-printing construction, and water electrolysis.
    ◆Commercial payload:
    To support a broader cislunar ecosystem such as communications support equipment, PNT (positioning, navigation, and timing) sensors, or SSA (space situational awareness) observatories.

  • Eligibility

    The participants in either the Implementation Category may also register for the Sponsor Special Topic. Those who do not participate in these groups may only register for the Sponsor Special Topic.

  • Reference Material

    Mission Briefing (Please refer to the Participant Section-Document Download Section after login)

  • Other Requirements

    Proposal should fit under an 8U cube, weighing under 5kg total.

  • Judging Criteria

    • Theoretical or Technical Innovation (40%)
    • Problem Solving (20%)
    • Future Impact (20%)
    • Business Feasibility Assessment (20%)

  • Submission Items

    Preliminary Review:
    • Evaluation: Online Submission (in English)
    • Submission: Submit written materials. Prepare proposal no more than 10-slide to describe your concept.

    Final Review:
    • Evaluation：Online Submission (in English)
    • Submission： Submit written materials. Prepare updated proposal no more than 15-slide to further elaborate your concept.