NASA has announced the opening of applications for the second season of its ORBIT (Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology) challenge. This initiative aims to foster university student innovation in technological development for Earth and deep-space exploration. Following a successful inaugural year, the program seeks to continue driving the creativity and professional development of the next generation of scientists and engineers. This challenge represents a crucial platform for students to apply their knowledge to projects with real impact on the space agency's missions.

The ORBIT program is designed to integrate students into research, business development, innovation, and technology projects that address current NASA challenges. The first season of the challenge already demonstrated the potential of this initiative to generate novel solutions and to offer participants invaluable practical experience. The deadline for registration for the 2026-2027 season is Monday, November 16, 2026, providing an ample window for university teams to prepare their proposals and join this collaborative opportunity with the space agency.