Introduction
The National Space Hackathon 2026, organized by IIT Delhi, is an online national-level competition that invites undergraduate and postgraduate students from engineering, management, arts, commerce, sciences, law and medical streams to tackle authentic technical challenges in space exploration. Teams of one to four members will work on a problem statement inspired by real operational challenges faced in the space domain. This article explains the event format, who can participate, the timeline for submissions, the technical deliverables expected, and how finalists will present to a distinguished panel for prizes totaling Rs 60,000.
Overview of the National Space Hackathon 2026
The hackathon is structured as an online, national-level competition aimed at translating real-world operational challenges in space exploration into solvable technical tasks for student teams. The problem statement will be released on 1 March 2026 and is explicitly inspired by operational issues, ensuring that proposed solutions have direct relevance to actual space missions and systems. Participant teams must develop a functional coding model that demonstrates a practical approach to the released problem while documenting design choices and implementation details clearly.
Eligibility and Team Structure
Participation is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students across a wide range of disciplines:
- Engineering
- Management
- Arts
- Commerce
- Sciences
- Law
- Medical
Teams may consist of 1–4 members. The multidisciplinary eligibility reflects the event’s emphasis on cross-domain approaches to space exploration problems, encouraging diverse perspectives within compact teams.
Timeline and Submission Requirements
The event unfolds in two stages with explicit deadlines:
- Problem release: 1 March 2026
- Stage 1 (problem release & submission): Runs until 28 March 2026. During this period teams must develop and submit their solutions.
- Stage 2 (final presentations): Top 10 teams from Stage 1 advance to present on 5 April 2026.
Submissions for Stage 1 must include a functional, well-documented coding model. Documentation should explain the solution approach, key algorithms or methods used, and how the model addresses the operational challenge described in the problem statement.
Final Round, Judging and Prizes
The top 10 teams from Stage 1 will be selected to advance to the final presentation round on 5 April 2026. Finalists will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges that includes experts from space agencies and industry, providing teams an opportunity to present technical merits and practical applicability. Winners will receive prizes worth Rs 60,000. The final judging emphasizes both the functionality of the coding model submitted in Stage 1 and the clarity and feasibility of the final presentation.
Conclusion
The National Space Hackathon 2026 by IIT Delhi is a focused, online national-level event that challenges multidisciplinary student teams to solve real operational problems in space exploration. With the problem statement released on 1 March 2026, Stage 1 submissions due by 28 March 2026, and the final presentations on 5 April 2026, participants must deliver a functional, well-documented coding model to qualify. The top 10 teams will present to a judge panel including space agency and industry experts, competing for prizes totaling Rs 60,000. This format provides a concise, practical platform for students to demonstrate technical skill and domain-relevant problem solving.