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.
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.
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