· Nicole Willett

Fifth Annual International Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition

competition engineering design STEM education Mars mission high school

By: Nicole Willett

Inspiring the Next Generation of Space Explorers

The Mars Society is excited to announce the Fifth Annual International Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition, a fully virtual, global program for high school students (ages 13–19) who are passionate about space, science, and engineering.

Running June 8 through July 10, 2026, this immersive program challenges students from around the world to do what real mission planners do: design a sustainable human mission to Mars. We invite educators to share this opportunity with their students and fellow teachers who want to bring authentic, high-level STEM experiences into the classroom.

The Challenge: Design a Human Mission to Mars

Student teams will design a Mars surface mission lasting up to 18 months, with the goal of accomplishing as much scientific exploration as possible while balancing real-world constraints. Teams must consider the science, engineering, and human operational challenges of living and working on Mars.

Mission Design Focus

Participants will develop a complete surface mission concept, including:

  • Habitats and life support systems
  • Scientific instruments and research objectives
  • Power generation and sustainability
  • Rovers, vehicles, and surface mobility
  • Crew size, skills, training, and mission operations

Key constraints include:

  • Time on surface: Up to 1.5 years
  • Crew: Up to 6 Marsonauts
  • Total mass: 30 metric tons (habitats, life support, vehicles, instruments, consumables, and margin; transport excluded)
  • Habitat size: Max 8 m diameter for rigid structures (larger for inflatable designs)

Teams must also address water acquisition and recycling, food systems, power supply choices, landing site selection, redundancy in crew skills and equipment, conflict resolution, and exploration opportunities such as geology, climatology, astrobiology, paleontology, and resource utilization.

Students quickly learn that the best Mars mission designs are compromises, balancing ambition with feasibility.

Team Structure and Learning Experience

Each team is divided into three core groups:

  1. Science
  2. Engineering
  3. Human Operations

Throughout the program, students participate in lectures and workshops led by top scientists and engineers from NASA, the aerospace industry, and academia. These sessions give students direct insight into how Mars missions are studied and planned today.

Competition Format: Present, Critique, Defend

The competition unfolds across three rigorous rounds:

  1. Presentation (30 minutes): Teams present their full mission design using slides and visuals.
  2. Critique (30 minutes): Teams analyze and critique other designs, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and risks.
  3. Defense (30 minutes): Teams defend their mission against critiques — serving as their “closing argument.”

Afterward, teams receive detailed feedback and may revise their final paper for publication by The Mars Society.

Judging Criteria (100 points total)

  • Science: 40 points
  • Engineering: 40 points
  • Human Factors and Operations: 20 points

Design Report Requirements

Each team submits a formal engineering-style design report. Key requirements include:

  • Maximum 25 pages (references excluded)
  • 12-point font, standard margins
  • Three main sections: Science, Engineering, Human Operations
  • Each team member writes their own portion
  • Publicly available images or original drawings permitted
  • Properly referenced sources

Eligibility, Dates, and Awards

  • Eligibility: High school students worldwide (ages 13–19)
  • Application Deadline: May 15, 2026
  • Program Dates: June 8 – July 10, 2026

The winning team will be invited to present their design at the International Mars Society Convention in Los Angeles.

Why Participate?

Building on the success of past years that welcomed students from across the globe, this competition continues to inspire young minds through a creative, realistic, and collaborative approach to STEM education. Participants gain experience in:

  • Systems thinking
  • Technical writing and presentations
  • Teamwork and leadership
  • Critical problem-solving

These are skills that truly stand out on college applications — and in future careers.

Apply and Learn More

For full details, visit the competition page. Ready to register? Sign up here.

Questions? Contact Nicole Willett at education@marssociety.org.