{"id":16386,"date":"2026-09-25T14:03:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T18:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/2026-2027-dwu-middle-school-design-challenge\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T14:03:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T18:03:14","slug":"2026-2027-dwu-middle-school-design-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/2026-2027-dwu-middle-school-design-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"2026-2027 DWU: Middle School Design Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

2026-2027 DWU: Middle School Design Challenge<\/h2>\n

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10 min read<\/p>\n

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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2026-2027 DWU: Middle School Design Challenge<\/h3>\n

Overview<\/h2>\n

The 2026-2027 challenge theme is, \u201cFueling Flight Design Challenge: New Energy Systems.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As more and more aircraft are a part of the US\u2019 National Airspace System (NAS), NASA and partners at the FAA, at universities, and in the aviation industry are searching for ways to increase safety, make flight more affordable, find new fuels for aircraft, and reduce the amount of time passengers and cargo spend in the air. This year\u2019s Dream with Us Challenge focuses on new aircraft fuels and how even the addition of one new fuel will change both the aircraft they are used in and the airports where aircraft take off and land.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The \u201cFueling Flight Design Challenge: New Energy Systems\u201d challenge is open to middle and high school students, with a different task for middle school teams and high school teams. Teams for both categories will focus on the addition of an emerging aircraft fuel source, liquid natural gas (LNG) into our aviation environment. This will require teams to learn more about LNG, how it might be used in aviation, the benefits of an additional fuel source, and what kind of changes would need to be made to aircraft and to airports to adapt to these new changes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Since the early days of aviation, commercial aircraft have relied on traditional designs and infrastructure. Aircraft have been a similar \u201ctube-and-wing\u201d design, with limitations that were made because of the materials aircraft were made with, along with the technology to build these aircraft. With the increasing availability of new technologies and new materials, aircraft no longer need to follow the same basic design. In addition, new research about fuel types, increasing demand for more flights and more fuel has resulted in many different options that include types of fuel, increasing electrification, and more. That also means airports are going to need to adjust. Changes in airport infrastructure will be needed to add multiple fuel types, different gateway configurations to allow for new aircraft types, and perhaps even different areas for different aircraft. What will this all look like? That partially depends on researchers and designers in the future since these are challenges the aeronautics community is starting to face now and will continue to do in the future.\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Challenge Description<\/h2>\n

Middle school student teams of 2-4 members will adapt an\u00a0existing airport (or create one of their own) that incorporates the use of both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and traditional aviation fuel. The airport design should include the overall airport layout that includes (but is not limited to): control tower(s), hangars, fuel locations, terminal, passenger parking, runways.\u00a0See requirements below for specific details.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Challenge Rules<\/h2>\n

The 2026\/2027\u00a0Dream with Us Design Challenge for middle and high school students opens September 25, 2026. The submission period for middle school entrants begins September 25, 2026, and concludes on January\u00a022, 2027, at 11:59 pm ET. Schools, organizations, and community groups should communicate to parents and guardians that submissions are limited to one entry per team and team registration requires someone over the age of 13 to create the account (adult team sponsors may create the registration on the team\u2019s behalf if desired). Entries must be\u00a0submitted through the submission link on the Dream with Us Design Challenge webpage: https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/dream-with-us\/<\/a>. Signed permission forms from parents or legal guardians are required for all participants that agree to the terms and requirements listed below and on the submission form.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Use of AI<\/h2>\n

Use of artificial intelligence tools for challenge-related work is not\u00a0permitted. Teams must not upload, process, or generate any content using AI systems, including publicly available browser\u2011based GenAI services,\u00a0AI\u2011assisted\u00a0code generation tools, or AI\u2011generated imagery. All submissions must be created solely by team members without the\u00a0assistance\u00a0of AI.<\/p>\n

Grade Eligibility<\/h2>\n

The middle school challenge is open to all\u00a0participants\u00a0in grades 6 \u2013 8 who are attending public, private, parochial, and home schools in the United States of America and children of U.S. military members stationed overseas. <\/p>\n

Students in grades 9 \u2013 12 will use the high school module.\u00a0See the\u202fDream with Us main webpage<\/a>\u202ffor details.\u00a0Note: for teams that\u00a0have\u00a0both middle and high school students, those teams will\u00a0compete in the high school challenge.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dates<\/h2>\n

Submissions for the Dream with Us: Middle School Aviation Challenge are accepted\u202fSeptember 25, 2026\u00a0\u2013 January\u00a022, 2027. Submission link:\u202fINSERT LINK HERE<\/strong>. Winners will first be announced during a virtual awards reception (date TBD) then shared on social media and the\u202fDream with Us design challenge webpage<\/a>\u202fafter the reception.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Key Dates<\/h2>\n

Submissions for the Dream with Us: Middle School Aviation Challenge are accepted\u202fSeptember 25, 2026\u00a0\u2013 January\u00a022, 2027. Submission link:\u202fINSERT LINK HERE<\/strong>. Winners will first be announced during a virtual awards reception (date TBD) then shared on social media and the Dream with Us design challenge webpage<\/a>\u202fafter the reception.\u00a0<\/p>\n