# Aerospace & Space Programs & Competitions for High School Students Aerospace programs — NASA student challenges, rocketry competitions like TARC, and university aeronautics intensives — combine engineering, physics, and teamwork in the most literal moonshot niche. Several are federally funded and free, including programs run directly by NASA centers. 34 verified programs match this page; 27 of the featured listings are free; 10 can be done online. ## Programs (34 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [NASA Student Launch](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-student-launch) | NASA | Free | in_person | Grades 6–12 | 2026-09-22 | | [NASA HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-hunch) | NASA | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-30 | | [NASA International Space Apps Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-space-apps-challenge) | NASA | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-01 | | [Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/student-spaceflight-experiments) | National Center for Earth and Space Science Education | Free | hybrid | Grades 5–12 | 2026-11-03 | | [USAF Academy Summer Seminar](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/usaf-academy-summer-seminar) | United States Air Force Academy | $300 | in_person | Grade 11 | 2027-01-15 | | [Air Force Academy Summer Seminar](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/air-force-summer-seminar) | USAFA | Free | in_person | Grade 11 | 2027-01-15 | | [Lockheed Martin Code Quest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lockheed-martin-code-quest) | Lockheed Martin Corporation | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-15 | | [NSS Space Settlement Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nss-space-settlement-contest) | National Space Society | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2027-02-15 | | [NASA App Development Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-app-development-challenge) | NASA | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-01 | | [NASA High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-high-school-aerospace-scholars-has) | NASA Johnson Space Center | Free | hybrid | Grade 11 | 2026-09-16 | | [Texas High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/texas-high-school-aerospace-scholars-has) | NASA Johnson Space Center | Free | hybrid | Grade 11 | 2026-09-16 | | [Astronaut Scholarship Foundation](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/astronaut-scholarship) | Astronaut Scholarship Foundation | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-03-15 | | [Genes in Space Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/genes-in-space-competition) | miniPCR Bio | Free | virtual | Grades 7–12 | 2027-04-10 | | [Civil Air Patrol Cadet Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/civil-air-patrol) | Civil Air Patrol / U.S. Air Force | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [AFRL Scholars Program (High School)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/afrl-scholars-program-high-school) | U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory / USRA | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-01-10 | | [NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-cubesat-launch-initiative) | NASA | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-15 | | [Underline Space Roundtable](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/underline-space-roundtable) | Space Minds Center | Free | virtual | All grades | Rolling | | [Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) National Finalist](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/team-america-rocketry-challenge-tarc-national-finalist) | Aerospace Industries Association | $100 | in_person | Grades 7–12 | 2026-12-06 | | [The American Rocketry Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-american-rocketry-challenge) | AIA & Partners | Free | in_person | Grades 7–12 | 2026-12-06 | | [NASA Internships - High School](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-high-school-internships) | NASA | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-09-14 | | [Air Force & Space Force ROTC High School Scholarship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/air-force-isef) | U.S. Air Force | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2026-12-11 | | [Zero Robotics Competition (MIT/NASA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/zero-robotics-competition-mitnasa) | MIT / NASA | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-21 | | [EAA Air Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/eaa-air-academy) | Experimental Aircraft Association | Free | in_person | Grades 7–12 | Rolling | | [SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/hyperloop-pod-competition) | SpaceX | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [NASA Lunabotics Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasas-lunabotics-competition) | NASA | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-07 | | [LAUNCH Student Aerospace Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/launch) | Columbia Space Initiative, Columbia University | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [StellarXplorers Space Systems Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stellar-xplorers) | Air Force Association | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2026-10-14 | | [Washington Aerospace Scholars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/washington-aerospace-scholars) | The Museum of Flight | $1,850 | hybrid | Grade 11 | Rolling | | [Genes in Space](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/genes-in-space) | Genes in Space (miniPCR bio and Boeing) | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Summer Intern Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-sees-summer-intern-program) | University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research / NASA | Free | virtual | Grades 10–11 | Rolling | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many aerospace & space programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 34 verified aerospace & space opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these aerospace & space programs free? Yes — 27 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: NASA Internships - High School (September 14, 2026); NASA High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) (September 16, 2026); Texas High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) (September 16, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do aerospace & space extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in aerospace & space (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep. ## Related pages - [Engineering Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/engineering) - [Physics Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/physics) - [Robotics Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/robotics) - [Stem for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stem) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/aerospace Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.