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.

  • Others

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

Judging and Criteria

Innovation Category

Preliminary
Review

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

Final
Review

Written presentation review (in English)：
  • Submit written materials.
  • Provide a 3-min proposal video with English subtitle.

30%

Relevance to Space

The connection between the product or service and space.

30%

Problem Solving

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

30%

Future Impact

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

10%

Business Feasibility Assessment

Whether the concept or product/service has sufficient market potential.

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).

40%

Theoretical and Technical Innovation

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

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.

20%

Business Feasibility Assessment

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

From now until the2026/06/30submission deadline

Sponsor Special Topic

This Sponsor Special Topic is an opportunity to bridge industry needs with creative space solutions, pushing the boundaries of satellite applications.

  • Description

    Topic：Micromissions for the Moon

    This Sponsor Special Topic invites participants to design a “micromission” up to 8U (size) and 4kg (mass) 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 Series-3 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.

  • How to Apply

    Fill out the application form and upload the document with the required format.
    (Please download the presentation format from the 'Competition Registration' section under the 'Documents Download Area.’)

  • Supporting Documents

    HEX20 provides reference subsystem materials to the participating teams for a clearer understanding. Please download the presentation format from the 'Competition Registration' section under the 'Documents Download Area.’

  • 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.

  • Judging Criteria

    • Theoretical and Technical Innovation (40%)：The completeness of the product or service in terms of its technological innovation and theoretical application.

    • Problem Solving (20%) ：How the product or service may improve or solve the existing issues in the space industry.

    • Future Impact (20%) ：Clearly highlight the impact of space and satellite applications on future industries.

    • Business Feasibility Assessment (20%)：Financial planning for future commercial operations of the concept or product.