Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing
NASA connects the public to the agency’s missions and explores creative possibilities for addressing the agency’s needs through prizes, challenges, and crowdsourcing opportunities. The program bridges NASA’s institutional expertise with the ingenuity of industry experts, universities, and the public at large, resulting in collaborations that help advance space technology solutions. The program’s opportunities are available through Centennial Challenges and the Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI).
Open Opportunities
Space Tech Catalyst Prize
The NASA Space Tech Catalyst Prize engages with and supports individuals and organizations that contribute to the growth and development of underrepresented and diverse innovators.
Pale Blue Dot: Visualization Challenge
Create a visualization using Earth observation data for a chance to participate in a 10-day Space Study program, with travel, lodging, and tuition covered.
Who Let the Gas Out?: NASA Tank Venting in Microgravity Challenge
This challenge asks participants to develop a novel solution for the venting of ullage contents from a partially full propellant tank, in microgravity, with minimal loss of propellant.
Brilliant Minds for Pure Blue Skies
Help NASA keep skies pure blue with your brilliant idea for eliminating harmful emissions from air travel.
Get Involved with NASA
Find more opportunities to get involved in initiatives across the agency.
Centennial Challenges
NASA Centennial Challenges offer incentive prizes to generate revolutionary solutions to problems of interest to NASA and the nation. The program seeks innovations from diverse and non-traditional sources. Competitors are not supported by government funding and awards are only made to successful teams when the challenges are met.
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Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation
The Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI) works with innovators across NASA and the Federal Government to generate ideas and solve important problems by working with global communities via the NASA Tournament Lab and internally via NASA Spark.
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Publication
Open Innovation at NASA
Boosting NASA Higher, Faster, and Farther
Organizations across the globe harness the perspectives, expertise, and enthusiasm of “the crowd” outside their walls to reduce costs, accelerate projects, enhance creativity, and better engage stakeholders. NASA is doing the same, collaborating with diverse entities nationally and internationally. Read how open innovation projects from October 2020 to September 2022 advanced NASA’s mission and benefited participants.
Learn More about Open Innovation at NASA
