01 / A mission that does not reset every year
Each edition changes the challenge. The mission continues.
Mars Challenge is the permanent platform. Editions are time-bound chapters within the same mission.
The first season, Season 1 — The Elements, runs from 2023 to 2030. Genesis marked the beginning. Subsequent editions have focused the experience on essential dimensions of life and sustainability.
The logic is cumulative: every new challenge adds questions, experiences, projects and learning to what came before.
02 / 2023 Genesis
2023 — Genesis: where the mission began
The first global edition posed the fundamental question: what would a crew of six need in order to survive on Mars for two years?
Genesis challenged multidisciplinary teams to imagine systems capable of sustaining life under extreme conditions, combining knowledge, creativity and collaboration.
The programme began with 520 students from four countries.
03 / 2024 Water
2024 — Water: managing the resource that makes life possible
In 2024, the mission focused on water.
Participants worked on ways to manage and conserve water on Mars, exploring extraction, treatment, purification, distribution and reuse with relevance to water-scarce contexts on Earth.
The closing report records three new countries joining the programme and more than 800 students and educators directly reached. Highlighted projects included work on water purification in extreme environments and smart irrigation systems.
04 / 2025 Fire
2025 — Fire: energy under extreme conditions
In 2025, the focus shifted to energy and fuels.
The challenge was to imagine systems capable of supplying a six-person crew over a two-year mission, addressing energy generation, storage and efficient use alongside sustainable fuel management.
Solutions had to respond to the constraints of Mars while generating learning applicable to energy challenges on Earth.
05 / 2026 Earth
2026 — Earth: redesigning the systems that sustain life
Earth is the 2026 chapter.
In 2026, the mission starts with soil and expands into the systems that make life possible: finite resources, safe habitats, sustainable production, human impact, adaptation to extreme conditions and resilience.
Earth is treated as a living system. The question is no longer only “how could we survive on Mars?” It also becomes: what must we redesign here to keep Earth habitable?
06 / What has already accumulated
Four editions. A journey with a growing body of evidence.
By the end of 2025, Mars Challenge documentation recorded:
2,000+ young people · 8 countries · 240+ documented projects · 730+ mentors and educators.
These figures represent the cumulative programme record from 2023 to 2025. They are presented as evidence of documented participation and production, not as claims of causal impact.
07 / Next step
The history shows where the mission came from. The current edition shows where it is now.
If you are discovering Mars Challenge for the first time, explore Genesis, Water and Fire to understand how the mission has evolved.
If you want to enter the current chapter, explore the 2027 edition.
08 / Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Mars Challenge a different programme every year?
No. Mars Challenge is the permanent entity. Each edition introduces a time-bound context and challenge within the same system.
Is 2026 the final edition of the first season?
No. The current programme roadmap defines Season 1 — The Elements as running from 2023 to 2030.
Can I still take part in a previous edition?
The 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions are now historical. Participation conditions should always be checked against the current edition.
Do the rules from a previous edition still apply?
Not necessarily. Calendars, eligibility, phases, awards and rules are edition-specific and must be checked against the relevant edition documentation.