Building on the success of Space Kalpana: Dream. Discover. Design, SIA-India is launching Space Kalpana 2.0 – Mission 2047: Rocket Revolution, a national-level design challenge for students from Classes VI to XII and undergraduate students.
The initiative seeks to encourage young minds to explore India's evolving space sector by imagining and designing the launch vehicles of the future. Through the Challenge, participants will move beyond learning about space to applying creativity, problem-solving and systems thinking to develop and present their own launch vehicle concepts.
This year's edition expands the Space Kalpana platform from creative expression towards design, innovation and practical engagement with India's commercial space ecosystem, providing participants with opportunities to interact with industry and gain national visibility for their ideas.
Venue: Centre of Excellence for Space Technology, Bangalore
Participant Categories
Space Kalpana 2.0 is open to three categories of participants, with teams comprising three to five members.
| Category | Eligibility | Team Size |
| Category I | Junior School (Class VI–VIII) | 3–5 members |
| Category II | Senior School (Class IX–XII) | 3–5 members |
| Category III | Undergraduate Students | 3–5 members |
The three categories provide participation opportunities across the school and undergraduate pipeline while maintaining a common challenge framework.
Competition Format & Methodology
The Challenge will be conducted as a national design competition, with teams assessed primarily on creativity, problem-solving, innovation, systems thinking and communication, rather than advanced technical execution.
National Design Challenge
Every team will submit two components:
1. Launch Vehicle Concept
The concept will comprise:
2. Two-to-Three-Minute Pitch
Each team will submit a short video pitch addressing four fixed questions:
The use of a common set of questions will provide a consistent basis for evaluation and enable comparison across teams and categories. The format is intended to keep the judging objective while allowing participants to demonstrate their creativity and understanding of the challenge.
3. Timeline
| Date / Period | Activity |
| 10–15 September 2026 | Outreach to schools, colleges and industry partners; mobilisation of participants and partnerships |
| 30 September 2026 | Deadline for submission of team videos |
| 1–7 October 2026 | Jury review of submissions and shortlisting of top teams |
| 8–9 October 2026 | Final round of questioning by the jury and final scoring of shortlisted teams |
| 10 October 2026 | Announcement and felicitation of winners during World Space Week |
Recognition & Awards
Recognition is designed to extend beyond a simple winners' list, providing participants with credentials, visibility and opportunities to engage with India's space industry.
Click Here to Participate Now
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Q1 Is it mandatory to construct a physical prototype or 3D model for this competition?
Ans: No. Space Kalpana 2.0 is fundamentally a design and concept-based challenge, so physical models or 3D prototypes are not required. Teams are evaluated strictly on the conceptual clarity, rationale, and problem-solving aspect of their launch vehicle submission. While you may choose to share additional models if you have built them, they will not impact your score.
Q2 What are the exact submission components required for the challenge?
Ans. Every team must submit two core components: a written Launch Vehicle Concept (comprising the rocket name, mission, payload, rationale, key innovation, and a hand-drawn or digital illustration) and a 2-to-3-minute video pitch.
Q3 Can a single student participate individually, or is a team mandatory?
Ans. To maintain a standardized evaluation framework across all entries, every team must consist of 3 to 5 members. Individual submissions or teams with fewer than 3 participants will not be accepted.
Q4 What is the final deadline for submitting team entries?
Ans. The deadline for submission of team videos and concepts is 30 September 2026. Any submission post the timeline will not be taken into consideration.
Q5 What are the accepted languages for Space Kalpana 2.0?
Ans: English and Hindi both will be accepted for written as well as video pitch.
Q6 For undergraduate participants, is it necessary to come from an engineering or technical background, or can students from any year and discipline apply?
Ans: Students from any academic year, branch, or stream are eligible to apply. You do not need an engineering background to participate; the challenge focuses on systems thinking, creative problem-solving, and mission conceptualization rather than advanced technical calculations.
Q7 Is there any registration or participation fee for Space Kalpana 2.0?
Ans: No, participation is completely free of charge.
Q8 What are the four specific questions we must address in our video pitch?
Ans. The short video pitch must answer: 1) What mission does your launch vehicle serve? 2) Why did you choose this design? 3) What problem does it solve? 4) How is it different from today's launch vehicles?
Q9 What kind of illustration format is acceptable for the launch vehicle design?
Ans. Participants can submit either hand-drawn or digital concept illustrations.
Q10 What are the age or academic brackets for participants?
Ans. The challenge is split into three categories: Category I for Junior School (Classes VI–VIII), Category II for Senior School (Classes IX–XII), and Category III for any Undergraduate Students.
Q11 What recognition or awards do the top teams receive?
Ans. The top 15 teams receive digital certificates, national recognition, and special rewards, along with opportunities for industry mentorship, ecosystem exposure, and a chance to showcase their concepts at the Grand Finale during World Space Week on 5th October at Centre of Excellence for Space Technology, Bangalore.
