winners announced
Challenge Details

TechRise 2024-25: Expected To Launch August 2024


KEEP ME INFORMED VOLUNTEER TO JUDGE (18+)






 

Are you ready for this year’s NASA TechRise Student challenge? From researching Earth’s environment to designing experiments for lunar and planetary exploration, schools are invited to join NASA in its mission to inspire the world through discovery. If you are in sixth to 12th grade at a U.S. public, private, or charter school – including those in U.S. territories – your challenge is to team up with your schoolmates and develop a science or technology experiment idea for one of the following NASA TechRise flight vehicles:
  • High-Altitude Balloon with approximately four hours of flight time at 70,000 feet and exposure to Earth’s atmosphere, high-altitude radiation, and perspective views of our planet
  • Rocket-Powered Lander that will fly for approximately two minutes at an altitude of 80 ft (~25 m) over a test field designed to look like the Moon’s surface
A total of 60 winning teams will be selected to build their proposed experiment. Each winning team will be awarded:
  • $1,500 to build their experiment
  • A flight box in which to build it
  • An assigned spot to test their experiment on a NASA-sponsored flight
  • Technical support during the experiment build phase from Future Engineers advisors, who will help students learn the skills they need to turn their experiment idea into reality.
Note that no experience is necessary to participate in the NASA TechRise Challenge! The steps below will help your team plan and submit your experiment idea.

WINNERS

Quantum Dot Radiation Shield Project
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
DIXON SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOL
Fredericksburg, VA
SPF Test
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
CLEAR CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Ellijay, GA
Stratosphere Serenade
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
ARAGON HIGH
San Mateo, CA
Nitrogen We Feel You...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
HD WOODSON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Washington, DC
UV Radiation Collector
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
EAST COOPER CENTER FOR ADVANCED STUDIES
Mount Pleasant, SC
Tough Stuff
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
PATERSON P-TECH
Paterson, NJ
Electromagnetic Spectrum Variations in the Atmosphere with Respect to...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
CARMEN SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Milwaukee, WI
Utilizing Unsupervised Learning Techniques to Recognize Terrain for...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
THE ACADEMY FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THE CLASSICS
Santa Fe, NM
Material Defenders
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
JENKS FRESHMAN ACADEMY
Jenks, OK
Sparky 1
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
NEW PALESTINE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
New Palestine, IN
BloomGuard Packaging (BGP)
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
MID-PACIFIC INSTITUTE
Honolulu, HI
Aerial Balloon Exploration of Greenhouse Gases
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
CENTRAL ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY & ARTS
Monroe, NC
Volatile Organic Compound and Ozone Detection Experiment
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
ADEL DE SOTO MINBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Adel, IA
Oobleck reaches the Skies
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
COLEGIO OTOQUÍ
Bayamon, PR
The Effects Cosmic Rays Have on Plant Seeds
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
OPHIR MIDDLE SCHOOL
Gallatin Gateway, MT
Bit Flips and Solar Radiation
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
HILL COUNTRY COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL
Spring Branch, TX
P.U.R,P.O.S.E. ( Protecting UV Rays Preparation Oon Science Experiment
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
KICKAPOO NATION SCHOOL
Powhattan, KS
Lifting Force and the Relation to Atmospheric Pressure
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY
Mendota Heights, MN
Radioactive Atmosphere
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
GROVETON HIGH SCHOOL
Groveton, NH
Ferrofluid Fiesta - investigating the issue of atmospheric microplastic...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
HEREFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Parkton, MD
Project STROBIE (Stratospheric Tracking of Radiation, Ozone, Biospheric...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
MONROEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Monroeville, OH
Autopiloted Return Paraglider for Scientific Ballooning Missions
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
GILMER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Glenville, WV
Do Radiation, Air Pressure and Humidity Affect Solar Power Collection?
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
PARKSIDE ELEMENTARY
Orem, UT
Radiation Shielding in Space
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
FRIDAY HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL
Friday Harbor, WA
Infrasound Finding a Clear Signal
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
ECKSTEIN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Seattle, WA
A Pilot Study: Exploring Atmospheric Levels of Air Pollutants Using Air...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
ILLINOIS MATH AND SCIENCE ACADEMY
Aurora, IL
Understanding Outgassing Dynamics of Kapton Polymer in Stratospheric...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
THE CHARTER SCHOOL OF WILMINGTON
Wilmington, DE
Terrestrial Magnetic Field
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
PHILLIPS ACADEMY IB SCHOOL
Birmingham, AL
The Atlas Project
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
MARCE HERZ
Reno, NV
GENEROSITY- UsinG high altitudE ballooN expERiment tO Study radiation...
1
High-Altitude Balloon Winner
FAY SCHOOL
Southborough, MA
Lunar Depth Aerospace Rocket
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
RED MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL
Mesa, AZ
3D Mapper and thermal mapper and normal mapper
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
EVANSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Evanston, WY
Rocket-Powered Lander Terrain Mapping
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
H. H. POOLE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Stafford, VA
Lunar Scout Technology - An LTV Companion
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
AMADOR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Pleasanton, CA
Hephaestus Rocket-Lander
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
DODSON HIGH SCHOOL
Dodson, LA
WVA Swiveling LIDAR System
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
WILLAMETTE VALLEY ACADEMY
Beaverton, OR
Cosmic Radiation and CO2 Emissions Research
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
MAT-SU CAREER AND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
Wasilla, AK
Rocket Against the Pull of Earth
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
CROSS CREEK EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL
Fayetteville, NC
Lunar Module for Innovation and Novel Experiments in AI,...
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL
Bellevue, WA
Rocket Lander Flame Experiment
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
CLIFF VALLEY SCHOOL
Atlanta, GA
Electricity Generation Using Motion and Vibration
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
ESCUELA SECUNDARIA DE LA UPR
San Juan, PR
Thermal & Vibration Control
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
STEAM ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Hazelwood, MO
Examining Imaging Techniques Interference through Particulate Matter
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
WESTMINSTER HIGH SCHOOL
Westminster, CA
Landing Attitude and Spectrographic Analysis for Ground Navigation and...
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
SEWANHAKA HIGH SCHOOL
Floral Park, NY
Project Helios
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
DURANGO HIGH SCHOOL
Las Vegas, NV
KMAV ROCKET
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
TIOSPAYE TOPA SCHOOL
Ridgeview, SD
SOBIE
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
LENAPE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Doylestown, PA
Utilizing LIDAR sensor technology to assist in safer and more accurate...
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
DUPONT MANUAL HIGH SCHOOL
Louisville, KY
N.IR.D.F.A.R.T. (Novel InfraRed Detector for Fuel level Approximation...
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
CHAMINADE HIGH SCHOOL
Mineola, NY
Hovering Hornets Lander Project
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
BANGOR HIGH SCHOOL
Bangor, ME
AI and Thermodynamics
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
LAWRENCE E. ELKINS H.S.
Missouri City, TX
The Proposal
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
LINCOLN COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Kansas City, MO
Rocket-Carried Infrared Water Detection Apparatus (RCIWDA)
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
ST. WENCESLAUS CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Omaha, NE
The Gravity Glove
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
SURFSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Satellite Beach, FL
Rocket Fusion
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
WHITE CLOUD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
White Cloud, MI
Full Model Moon Mission
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
ALTONA MIDDLE SCHOOL
Longmont, CO
Light rays on the moon: effect on solar panels, UV shielding, and...
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
ACADEMIES OF LOUDOUN
Leesburg, VA
Thaden's MacGyver Lunar Bike
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
THADEN SCHOOL
Bentonville, AR
Lunar Mapping and Object Detection
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
CREEK WOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Charlotte, TN
Spacecraft Terrain Analysis and Robotic Landing for Critical Emergencies
1
Rocket-Powered Lander Winner
POOLESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Poolesville, MD
Learn About The Challenge

 

Are you ready for this year’s NASA TechRise Student challenge? From researching Earth’s environment to designing experiments for lunar and planetary exploration, schools are invited to join NASA in its mission to inspire the world through discovery. If you are in sixth to 12th grade at a U.S. public, private, or charter school – including those in U.S. territories – your challenge is to team up with your schoolmates and develop a science or technology experiment idea for one of the following NASA TechRise flight vehicles:
  • High-Altitude Balloon with approximately four hours of flight time at 70,000 feet and exposure to Earth’s atmosphere, high-altitude radiation, and perspective views of our planet
  • Rocket-Powered Lander that will fly for approximately two minutes at an altitude of 80 ft (~25 m) over a test field designed to look like the Moon’s surface
A total of 60 winning teams will be selected to build their proposed experiment. Each winning team will be awarded:
  • $1,500 to build their experiment
  • A flight box in which to build it
  • An assigned spot to test their experiment on a NASA-sponsored flight
  • Technical support during the experiment build phase from Future Engineers advisors, who will help students learn the skills they need to turn their experiment idea into reality.
Note that no experience is necessary to participate in the NASA TechRise Challenge! The steps below will help your team plan and submit your experiment idea.
Steps to Enter
Entries Due By: November 13, 2023
1
Step 1 - FORM A TEAM
Make a team with at least four students and one team lead (a teacher or school employee). All students must be in sixth through 12th grades and attend the same U.S. public, private, or charter school. Students can be from one grade or across multiple grades, and there is no maximum number of students per team.
2
Step 2 - REVIEW THE PROPOSAL TEMPLATE & GUIDE
It's important to understand the requirements! Review the Proposal Template and Guide, which you will use to submit your experiment idea.
NASA TECHRISE PROPOSAL TEMPLATE & GUIDE
EDUCATOR GUIDE
3
Step 3 - CHOOSE ROCKET-POWERED LANDER OR BALLOON
Decide whether a rocket-powered lander or high-altitude balloon is best for your experiment idea by watching the videos and reviewing slide decks and design guidelines.

Rocket-Powered Lander

Lander Video & Slide Deck
play
PDF
4
Step 4 - Plan YOUR EXPERIMENT
BRAINSTORM
There are many experiment ideas to consider! The brainstorming topics below will help your team think about possible experiment ideas to test on a rocket-powered lander.
Lander Brainstorm Worksheet
Lander Brainstorm Slide Deck
DESIGN
Now it's time to design your experiment! Think about what you would use to bring your experiment idea to life. From motors to sensors to microcontrollers, explore components for your design. You do NOT need to build your idea unless your team is selected as a winner, and you do not need any previous experience using these components to participate.
Explore Components Design Worksheet
Plan Your Experiment Design Slide Deck
OR

Balloon

Balloon Video & Slide Deck
play
PDF
4
Step 4 - Plan YOUR EXPERIMENT
BRAINSTORM
There are many experiment ideas to consider! The brainstorming topics below will help your team think about possible experiment ideas to test on a high-altitude balloon.
Balloon Brainstorm Worksheet
Balloon Brainstorm Slide Deck
DESIGN
Now it's time to design your experiment! Think about what you would use to bring your experiment idea to life. From motors to sensors to microcontrollers, explore components for your design. You do NOT need to build your idea unless your team is selected as a winner, and you do not need any previous experience using these components to participate.
Explore Components Design Worksheet
Plan Your Experiment Design Slide Deck
5
Step 5 - SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL
Write up the experiment idea using the NASA TECHRISE PROPOSAL TEMPLATE AND GUIDE. After your team drafts the proposal, the teacher or school employee must submit the proposal on or before November 13, 2023, to enter the challenge. Educators/schools can submit an unlimited number of proposals for an unlimited number of teams, but each proposal must be unique.
Winners Announced
January 23, 2024
A total of 60 winning teams (30 high-altitude balloon and 30 rocket-powered lander experiments) will be selected to participate in this year’s NASA TechRise Challenge. Each winning team will receive a prize package that consists of: $1,500 to build their experiment, a flight box in which to build their experiment, and an assigned spot for the winning experiment on a NASA-sponsored flight. The winning teams will also have access to technical support and office hours with Future Engineers experts during the experiment build period.
BUILD & LAUNCH YOUR EXPERIMENT
January 23, 2024 – Summer 2024
Winning teams will receive their welcome package immediately after the winner's announcement on January 23, 2024, and then can start building their experiment. Each team will meet regularly with the TechRise advisory team and learn (or improve) the skills needed to build their experiment. All experiments must be mailed to Future Engineers no later than May 17, 2024. The experiments will launch on their corresponding flight test vehicles in summer 2024.
Prize Boxes Sent
January 2024
Experiment Build Begins
January 23, 2024
Winner Showcase
May 16, 2024
Send In Experiments
May 17, 2024
Experiments Launch
Summer 2024
 
 

DATES / JUDGING CRITERIA / PRIZES

You have to play by the rules to win.

WHO CAN ENTER

The NASA TechRise Challenge is for SCHOOLS in U.S. states and territories. U.S. public, private, or charter schools that serve sixth to 12th grade students can assemble a team (or multiple teams) and enter. Minimum four students per team. No maximum number of students per team. Proposals must be submitted by a team lead that is a teacher or employee of the school. Homeschools are not eligible to participate unless they are affiliated with a public, private, or charter school that complies with the insurance requirements in the RULES.
GRADES 6-12
SCHOOL CLASSES
GRADES 6-12
SCHOOL CLUBS
GRADES 6-12
SCHOOL TEAMS

JUDGING CRITERIA

High-Altitude Balloon
Rocket-Powered Lander
 
30
POINTS
Experiment’s impact on education and/or society
30
POINTS
Feasibility to build the experiment in approximately four months with a $1,500 budget
20
POINTS
Originality of the flight experiment
20
POINTS
Clarity of the experiment design plan
10
POINTS
Point bonus awarded if school is Title I eligible
30
POINTS
Experiment’s impact on education and/or society
30
POINTS
Feasibility to build the experiment in approximately four months with a $1,500 budget
20
POINTS
Originality of the flight experiment
20
POINTS
Clarity of the experiment design plan
10
POINTS
Point bonus awarded if school is Title I eligible

HOW TO ENTER

Please review the Challenge Rules and FAQ prior to creating your entry.

Challenge Rules FAQ

STUDENTS

Develop an experiment idea with your school team and fill out the Proposal Template. Give your completed proposal to your teacher. 

 

TEACHERS/EDUCATORS

Coordinate with your students to submit their team proposal. Educators can submit an unlimited number of proposals, but please make sure each proposal is unique.

 



PROGRAM DATES
Contest
Opens
16
AUGUST
Student Virtual Field Trip
29
SEPTEMBER
Entries
Close
13
NOVEMBER
Winners Announced & Build Begins
23
JANUARY 2024
Experiment Showcase
16
MAY 2024
Experiments Launch
00
SUMMER 2024
Contest
Opens
16
AUGUST
Student Virtual Field Trip
29
SEPTEMBER
Entries
Close
13
NOVEMBER
Winners Announced & Build Begins
23
JANUARY 2024
Experiment Showcase
16
MAY 2024
Experiments Launch
00
SUMMER 2024

PRIZES

 

Dive Into The Challenge

CLICK A TOPIC BELOW TO GET IDEAS FOR YOUR EXPERIMENT

Challenge Resources
Climate
Imaging & Sensing
Moon
Mars
Suborbital Vehicles
Digital Tools
Challenge Resources
>
Challenge Resources
Climate
Imaging & Sensing
Moon
Mars
Suborbital Vehicles
Digital Tools

LEARN ABOUT Climate

Learn about Climate Change, global temperature trends, how wildfires can be studied from above and more. Think about what climate experiment you might design for the TechRise challenge.

LEARN ABOUT Imaging & Sensing

Understand the role remote imaging and sensing play in scientific discovery. Earth science data can be a critical part of your experiment design. Dig into data from weather stations, radar, satellites, and think about what kind of experiment data you will want to collect or use.

LEARN ABOUT Mars

Discover Mars and learn about NASA's Mars2020 Mission. Follow the Perseverance Rover on its quest to search for signs of ancient microbial life. Check out the technologies being used to explore Mars and think about how your high-altitude experiment could be the first step for a technology or research project headed to Mars.

LEARN ABOUT Suborbital Vehicles

Learn about NASA's Flight Opportunities program and discover how NASA-supported test flights advance space exploration. These curated links and lessons will help you learn more about the benefits of testing a little closer to Earth before launching a lot farther!

Digital Tools

Start tinkering with a microcontroller. Learn how to download Mu or Arduino IDE and dive in with coding tutorials.
CircuitPython Tutorials
Get started with CircuitPython as the introductory programming language for your microcontroller. Learn how write code on a FREE programming editor like Mu. Get tinkering with curated tutorials. Build a programming foundation for your TechRise experiment.
Arduino Tutorials
Use Arduino programming language to take your microcontroller skills to the next level. Download the FREE Arduino IDE and check out our curated Arduino programming lessons. Build a programming foundation for your TechRise experiment.
 

LAUNCHING THE INNOVATORS OF TOMORROW

NASA's Flight Opportunities Program is leading the NASA TechRise Challenge, which is administered by Future Engineers. Flight Opportunities rapidly demonstrates promising technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers. The program matures capabilities needed for NASA missions and commercial applications while strategically investing in the growth of the U.S. commercial spaceflight industry. These flight tests take technologies from ground-based laboratories into relevant environments to increase technology readiness and validate feasibility while reducing the costs and technical risks of future missions. NASA’s Flight Opportunities program is funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and managed at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.