2025-26 COSMIC Capstone Challenge (C3) Announcement
We are excited to announce our upcoming 2025-26 COSMIC Capstone Challenge (C3) — a dynamic design competition for U.S.-based college students to develop conceptual missions and spacecraft operations designs, ranging from in-space assembly to lunar infrastructure.
Event Overview:
The COSMIC Capstone Challenge invites student teams, including senior capstones, independent study groups, lab teams, or student clubs, to tackle one of four innovative tracks:
Track 1: Orbital Manufacturing and Assembly (C3-Manufacturing)
Challenge: Design a payload for Arkisys’ Bosuns Locker that demonstrates a chain of three or more discrete operations critical to orbital manufacturing or assembly.
Track 2: Lunar Operations (C3-Lunar)
Challenge: Design a payload for the Griffin lunar lander to help build the infrastructure needed for a permanent lunar outpost.
Track 3: Orbital Servicing (C3-Servicing)
Challenge: Create a modular, maintainable spacecraft capable of autonomously servicing multiple client satellites, incorporating features such as robotic arms, refueling ports, and grappling stations.
Track 4: In-Space Assembly (C3-Assembly)
Challenge: Design an orbital or surface infrastructure element and plan its construction using autonomous robotic assembly technology based on existing modular building blocks and robotic systems.
Registered teams will be paired with experienced mentors from industry, government, and research organizations who will guide students with meetings, provide problem-focused advice, and support milestone deliverables — culminating in a 24-minute final presentation at the C3 Final Showcase in April 2026.
How You Can Help:
Be a Mentor:
If you or someone in your network has experience in aerospace, engineering, research, or related fields and a passion for shaping future space missions, we invite you to serve as a mentor! Your expertise can make a substantial impact as you help students navigate early design challenges and explore opportunities for post-competition development.
Recruit Student Teams:
Whether they are part of a capstone, independent research, or a student club, please share this opportunity with your academic and professional communities. Teams need to register soon as registration will close after 100 teams have enrolled or by October 14, whichever comes first. You can forward this email or send the form linked below to those who would be interested.
Find out more at cosmicspace.org/c3/
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact WD-COSMIC@aero.org.
Your support in activating your networks can help us reach outstanding students and expert mentors to drive the next generation of space innovation.
Thank you for being an invaluable part of our COSMIC community. Together, we can inspire and cultivate groundbreaking ideas to build a safe, scalable, and sustainable space ecosystem2025-26 COSMIC Capstone Challenge (C3)