About
Welcome to the STEMarts International Design Challenge, investigating how space exploration inspires creative solutions rooted in culture, community, and place. Grounded in the philosophy of Space for Good, this year’s SciArt challenge invites teachers and students to explore the theme Space for Earth: Envisioning Futures, imagining how space science and emerging technologies can contribute to positive, sustainable impact on life here at home.
Call Opens: February 13, 2026
Submissions Due: September 21, 2026
Winners announced: October 4-10, 2026 for World Space Week
Prizes
The Space for Earth Design Challenge celebrates creativity, science-informed ideas, and strong connections between land, sky, and space. Selected student work will be recognized with gift card awards as well as public recognition through the STEMarts Design Challenge platform.
Best of Show: $200 gift card
Best of Category Awards: $100 gift card each
Prize recipients will be selected by an international jury of artists, scientists, and cultural specialists. In addition to gift card awards, winning designs may be featured online and included in exhibitions, presentations, or educational showcases. Awards are granted per final submission. Team projects are welcome; however, only one prize will be awarded per winning entry.
Explore the Topics
The Space for Earth Design Challenge is organized around inspiring thematic topics that help students explore big ideas connecting space science, design, nature, and technology. These topics are starting points—not assignments—designed to spark curiosity, research, and creative thinking. Rooted in the concept of Space for Good, students are invited to choose one or more themes to inspire designs that imagine how space science and technologies can improve life on Earth and benefit communities. The topics below introduce the mission of the challenge and lead into deeper exploration through the Design Tool and STEMarts Wiki.
CONNECTING TO THE COSMOS
Humans have always looked up at the night sky and asked big questions: Where do we come from? What are we made of? How do we belong in something so vast? Across cultures and generations, people have shaped powerful cosmologies—stories and knowledge systems rooted in land and sky—that help explain our origins and guide how we live in relation to the world around us.
Today, science adds another layer to that understanding. We now know the elements in our bodies were forged in ancient stars, and that space continually sends us particles and waves that help reveal how the universe works. By studying these signals, we deepen our understanding of our origins and our place within a much larger system.
This is why dark skies matter. When we protect the darkness, we protect our ability to see, to wonder, to remember, and to connect. Under a truly dark sky, the universe becomes visible again—not as an abstract idea, but as something we can experience directly. The stars remind us that we are part of a living continuum between Earth and cosmos: connected to the universe, and carrying the universe within us.
Design Connection: Explore how humanity interprets the universe and connects to the sky, from the ancient stories to advanced technology gathering Earth data from Space. How can your design reflect our enduring connection to the cosmos?
STEMarts Wiki Tags: Connecting to Cosmos, Dark Skies, Space for Good, Storytelling, Physics
SPACE + AI
Exploring How Artificial Intelligence Helps Us Understand Earth and the Universe
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are increasingly essential tools in space science and research. They help scientists analyze massive amounts of data, recognize patterns humans might miss, and make discoveries that deepen our understanding of Earth and the universe. From monitoring climate change to exploring distant planets, AI supports how we observe, interpret, and respond to complex systems in space and on Earth.
AI is not replacing scientists—it is extending human curiosity and capability. Space missions generate enormous datasets from satellites, telescopes, rovers, and sensors. Machine learning helps sort, visualize, and translate this information into knowledge that can guide decision-making, protect life on Earth, and expand what we know about the cosmos.
This topic invites students to explore AI as a scientific and problem-solving tool, grounded in responsibility, ethics, and human-centered design. By understanding how AI is used in space exploration, Earth observation, and scientific discovery, students can imagine new ways these technologies might inspire designs that benefit communities, ecosystems, and future generations.
Design Connection:
Explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning are used in space science and Earth research—from satellite monitoring and climate modeling to robotic exploration and data analysis. How can AI help us better understand our planet, protect life, and navigate complex systems? How might your design use AI as a tool for insight, responsibility, and collaboration—while keeping humans at the center?
STEMarts Wiki Tags: Space + A.I., Machine Learning, A.I., Observation, Satellite, Climate Science
DESIGNING WITH NATURE
Designing with Nature means turning to living systems for insight—observing how plants, animals, and ecosystems solve problems through form, function, and relationship. Biomimicry helps us translate those strategies into human designs that can support healthier communities and environments. When we pay attention to what thrives in our local landscape, we discover practical lessons about resilience, efficiency, cooperation, and balance.
Science deepens this approach by helping us understand the conditions that support life: water, energy, climate, materials, and time. Tools developed through space research—like remote sensing, imaging, and environmental monitoring—also help us observe Earth’s changing systems, track patterns, and respond with smarter solutions for agriculture, conservation, and climate resilience. Together, nature knowledge and science-driven observation can inspire designs that protect life here at home.
Design Connection: Nature is the best teacher we have- biomimicry leverage the billions of years of adaptations on Earth to innovate technology to benefit humanity. The diverse ecosystems on Earth offer a wealth of strategies for survival in hostile environments like those in space. How can your design drive technological innovation inspired by nature?
STEMarts Wiki Tags: Biomimicry, Biodiversity, Life in Space, Astrobiology, Nature
HUMAN AS SENSOR
Technology serves as an extension of human perception and ingenuity, enabling us to sense, interpret, and interact with the world beyond the limits of our bodies. From microscopes and satellites to remote sensors and artificial intelligence, technology expands how we observe systems at microscopic, planetary, and cosmic scales. Many of these innovations—often called space spinoffs—originated in space exploration and now shape everyday life on Earth, revealing the deep interconnectedness between space and human-centered technologies.
Emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR) further extend human capacity by enhancing how we see, experience, and understand complex environments and data. These tools allow humans to visualize invisible phenomena, simulate extreme conditions, and experience space-based perspectives while remaining grounded on Earth. Wearable technologies, biosensors, and health-monitoring systems similarly translate physical and biological signals into actionable information, turning the human body itself into an active sensing system.
This topic invites students to explore how technology can amplify human awareness, empathy, and understanding—while also asking critical questions about ethics, responsibility, and agency as technology becomes more integrated with the human experience.
Design Connection:
Consider how space technologies and emerging tools such as VR, AR, wearables, and sensors enhance human perception and capability. Explore ideas related to health, communication, environmental awareness, or accessibility. How can your design responsibly extend human capacity in ways that benefit individuals and communities?
STEMarts Wiki Tags: Human Body, Sensor, Technology, Spin off, Wearable Tech, Mixed Reality