Viasat's signature global STEM competition is coming to India, inviting university students across the country to develop new applications of satellite technology that improve life on Earth. Whether your background is in engineering, computer science, environmental studies, business, or any other discipline — your ideas and perspective matter.
Viasat: Space for Good India features three phases over approximately 22 weeks, progressing from written concept submissions through digital media presentations to an in-person finals event in New Delhi in October 2026 — all expenses paid by Viasat.
Milestone
Date
Pre-Registration Opens
Now
Phase 1 Opens (Concept Submission)
Monday, 8 June 2026
Phase 1 Submission Deadline
Sunday, 19 July 2026
Phase 1 Scoring & Review
20 July – 31 July 2026
Phase 2 Opens (Digital Submission)
Monday, 3 August 2026
Phase 2 Submission Deadline
Sunday, 23 August 2026
Phase 2 Scoring & Review
24 August – 4 September 2026
Phase 3 Begins (Finals Preparation)
Monday, 7 September 2026
Finalist–Mentor Matching
Wednesday, 9 September 2026
Finals — In-Person (New Delhi)
Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Eligibility: Open to all university students in India, including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral-level students, across all study areas and years of study. All participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of entering the program.
Prizes: Top three finalists will be awarded prizes.
1st Place: ₹5,00,000
2nd Place: ₹3,75,000
3rd Place: ₹2,75,000.
Guidelines
Space for Good empowers university students in India to combine their love of space with their formal learning to develop new applications of satellite technology that demonstrably improve life on Earth. We are specifically seeking concepts that align with and leverage one or more of the following areas:
Equitable and Sustainable Access to Space
Direct to Device (D2D) and IoT
Rural and Remote Digital Empowerment
Space Industry Collaboration (Open Architecture)
Multi-Orbit Constellations
Cybersecurity in Space
Sovereignty and Resilient Space Capabilities
Disaster and Humanitarian
Digital Infrastructure in Space
Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)
Lunar Communication
Detailed descriptions of each focus area are provided in the Learning Resources tab.
Three Phases
Phase 1 - Concept Submission (6 weeks). Open to all eligible university students in India. Answer a series of written questions (totaling up to five pages) explaining your high-level “Space for Good” concept. Phase 1 will be scored by two AI systems (one Viasat, one HeroX) with close human oversight. The top 50–60 submissions will be reviewed, and 30 will advance to Phase 2.
Phase 2 - Digital Submission (3 weeks). Create a 3-minute digital submission — video, podcast, animation, or other digital format. Scored by India-based Viasat employees and partners. Six advance to Finals.
Phase 3 - The Finals (8 weeks). Finalists invited to New Delhi on Tuesday, 27 October 2026 (all expenses paid). Matched with employee mentors. Present in person to a panel of industry experts.
Phase 1 Submission
In Phase 1, you will answer a series of questions about your concept, including what problem it solves, its innovation, how it connects to Viasat's capabilities, its commercial viability, and how you would measure its impact. The total submission is approximately five pages. Full questions and character limits are available in the submission form. Use of AI is permitted, but ensure the core of your concept is your own idea; you may be asked to explain it in person. All submissions must be in English.
Open to all university students, including graduate and doctoral-level students of any study area and year who are attending school in India. All participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of entering the program. Students must accept the Challenge-Specific Agreement before submitting.
The Viasat: Space for Good team has developed learning modules that feature resources—including interviews with experts—specifically designed to supplement and complement your existing knowledge. Accessing these tools is optional, but doing so will maximize your success in Phase 1. See the Learning Resources tab to begin.
With the July 19 deadline two days away, this is the right moment to use what's in the About Viasat module to sharpen your submission. Judges expect you to understand the ecosystem your idea lives in -- and this module gives you that context directly from Viasat. Watch the 2025 Year in Review, explore the VS3 constellation, read the FY2025 ESG Impact Report, or try the interactive VR site showing Viasat's full satellite network. You can also listen to previous quarterly earnings calls to understand what is driving the business and what problems are still unsolved. The strongest submissions connect student ideas to real organizational priorities. Head to the Learning Resources tab, review what you have, and submit before July 19.
The space sector is growing fast, but the path into it is not always obvious. The Careers in the Space Sector module features people who have been there: Thad Sandidge, a former Viasat intern now working as a full-time Viasat engineer in the US; Samyukta Muruganantham, who made the same transition in India; Rida Zainab, Senior Spacecraft Software Engineer at CGI; and Faith Tng from the Space Generation Advisory Council, who talks about the skills the sector is actually looking for right now. Zamara Rodriguez from the Space Industry Association of Australia also speaks to workforce trends and how to get noticed. Whether you're thinking about your submission or your next step after it, this module is worth your time. Learning Resources tab -- five days to the deadline.
Viasat is actively involved in Project Moonlight -- the ESA-led initiative to build a permanent communications and navigation network for the Moon. This is not a roadmap document; it's an active program. The Lunar Communication module includes the ESA program overview, Viasat's press release on its partnership with Telespazio, and two expert interviews. In the first, ESA's Charles Cranstoun and Ben Colton explain the scale and complexity of what it takes to build a program like this. In the second, Mark Moravits speaks with Ular Kaldasaun -- Viasat's head of mission concepts -- on the technical realities of connecting the Moon. If your concept involves deep space, PNT, or next-generation satellite architecture, this module provides the best available industry context. Learning Resources tab -- July 19.
Innovation in space-based navigation and communications is already enabling extraordinary feats, from precision agriculture in Finland to seamless international travel. As we recognize the importance of these signals, we unlock the potential to develop even more sophisticated, interference-resistant technologies. The growth in signal monitoring data gives us the insight needed to build stronger, more adaptive systems that safeguard our global progress.
In 2025, Viasat was selected to deliver a space crypto solution for the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command. Cybersecurity in space is not a niche concern -- it's a foundational one. The Cybersecurity in Space module includes that press release alongside a Deloitte report on space resilience and real-time cybersecurity, a PwC report on safeguarding satellite infrastructure, and an expert interview where Mark Moravits speaks with Mike Dovey and James Kohler on the specific vulnerabilities that exist in space systems and how Viasat addresses them. If your submission involves security, data integrity, or network resilience, this module is a clear starting point. Find it in the Learning Resources tab. Deadline: July 19.
