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
Space Cybersecurity
Sovereign Nations
Disaster and Humanitarian
AI in Space
Data Centers in Space
Lunar Communication
Detailed descriptions of each focus area are provided in the Learning Resources tab.
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.
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.
Criterion | Points |
Concept, Clarity, and Depth | 15 |
Mission Relevance | 15 |
Innovation and Creativity | 15 |
Viasat Capability Alignment | 15 |
Commercial Viability | 15 |
Feasibility and Risk Awareness | 10 |
Metrics and Impact | 10 |
Quality and Professionalism | 5 |
Download and view the full scoring rubric here.
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.
In its dedication to furthering education, Viasat: Space for Good has developed learning modules the correspond to each area of this challenge. Students are not required, but strongly encouraged to view the content compiled here. Please visit the Learning Resources tab to start your journey.
