01 / The future does not come with an answer key.
Preparing someone for the future is not about predicting every answer.
Education can transmit knowledge.
That knowledge remains essential.
But real life crosses disciplines, introduces uncertainty, limits time and resources, and often requires decisions before everything is known.
Mars Challenge operates in that space.
The question is no longer only:
“What do you know?”
It is also:
“What can you do with what you know when the problem has not already been solved?”
02 / They do not come to watch. They come to do.
The experience requires knowledge to become action.
Young people work in teams through a structured process.
They investigate.
Explore causes.
Compare ideas.
Take responsibility for roles.
Make choices.
Build a proposal or representation.
Receive questions.
Revise decisions.
Explain what they built and why.
The 2026 Participant Guide, for example, structures the experience into 12 phases and three main outputs: a concept document, schematic prototype and presentation.
Those numbers are edition-specific.
The underlying principle is not:
an idea is not enough; participants need to understand and communicate the reasoning that produced it.
03 / Knowledge still matters. Knowing what to do with it matters even more.
Real-Life Readiness
Being ready for real life does not mean having an answer for every situation.
It means being able to move forward responsibly when the answer is not predetermined.
Real-Life Readiness describes that capacity through six mutually reinforcing dimensions:
KNOW Recognise what I know, what I do not know and what I still need to discover.
CONNECT Combine my knowledge with the knowledge of other people.
FACE Remain engaged when faced with uncertainty, friction, constraints and complexity.
DECIDE Exercise judgement without a predetermined answer.
ACT Turn judgement into action.
CARE Consider consequences for people, systems and the planet.
The foundational framework defines Real-Life Readiness precisely around the ability to mobilise knowledge responsibly under uncertainty, interdependence, limits and consequences.
04 / You do not need to be “a science person”.
Real problems do not belong to one subject.
Mars Challenge is not restricted to science, engineering or technology profiles.
Young people can come from different areas of knowledge, interests and backgrounds.
A food problem may require biology, logistics, economics, communication and behaviour.
A habitat may require engineering, design, psychology, health and law.
A resource problem can involve science, ethics, public policy and management.
Young people do not need to arrive knowing everything.
They need to be willing to contribute what they know and connect it to what other people know.
05 / Not knowing yet is part of the process.
Getting stuck does not necessarily mean something is going wrong.
An idea fails.
Research contradicts an assumption.
Team members disagree.
Time has been invested in a direction that must be abandoned.
The team may have to begin again.
That friction is part of the learning design.
Mars Challenge does not aim to remove every difficulty.
It gives participants a structure through which difficulty can become reflection, revision and better judgement.
06 / The best help is not always helping to solve.
Families matter precisely because they do not replace the participant.
A family can:
encourage commitment;
help a young person manage time and responsibilities;
listen when things go wrong;
ask how a decision was reached;
encourage stronger evidence;
help place setbacks in perspective;
recognise learning rather than only outcomes.
But families should not design the project.
Choose the solution.
Write the presentation.
Or turn adult expertise into the team's answer.
A useful question at home may be:
“What did you discover today that made you change your mind?”
07 / There is support. Young people still own the work.
A mentor is there to guide the process, not supply the answer.
Mentors can ask questions, support reflection, help structure ideas expressed by the team and encourage responsible use of tools.
They cannot build the project on the team's behalf.
That distinction matters.
The objective is not to demonstrate that an experienced adult can solve the challenge.
It is to give young people conditions in which they can develop their own judgement.
Support and autonomy are not opposites.
Good learning needs both.
08 / For minors, safeguarding and responsibilities must be explicit.
Trust also requires rules.
Requirements for minors belong to the official rules of the relevant edition and implementation.
Families should verify:
parental or guardian consent;
personal-data conditions;
image permissions;
adult supervision;
local safeguarding responsibilities;
online or in-person protocols;
travel documentation;
insurance requirements;
conditions associated with later international phases.
The current rules should always be reviewed before a minor takes part.
Mars Challenge should not be presented as replacing the legal responsibility of families or responsible institutions.
09 / The project is only part of the evidence.
What matters is also how participants reach it.
The process can make visible:
research;
sources;
assumptions;
discarded ideas;
decisions;
team responsibilities;
prototypes;
feedback;
revisions;
communication.
The result therefore tells only part of the story.
The deeper question is:
how does a young person use knowledge when reality becomes complicated?
10 / Participation begins with the edition and local context.
There is no single universal entry route.
Participation routes can differ by country and implementation.
They may involve an educational institution, organisation, open call or another authorised mechanism.
Eligibility, age, calendar, modality, documentation and progression to later stages belong to the relevant edition.
Participation at a local or institutional level does not automatically mean international travel or access to The Grand Jam.
11 / Before deciding, understand the experience.
Begin with five questions.
Does the young person want to face something they do not yet know how to solve?
Are they willing to work with people who think differently?
Can they investigate before defending an opinion?
Will they take responsibility for part of a collective effort?
Is the family ready to support the process without taking it over?
If the answer is beginning to be yes, Mars Challenge is worth exploring.
12 / Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
How old do participants need to be?
Eligibility belongs to each edition. The 2026 Rules set a general age range of 15–29, with regulated exceptions. Always check the current edition’s conditions.
Is it only for science, engineering or technology students?
No. Disciplinary diversity is part of the model. Young people from different fields, profiles and interests can contribute.
Do participants need knowledge about Mars or engineering?
No. Mars is a context for thinking under constraints rather than an aerospace-knowledge requirement.
What happens if they cannot solve the challenge?
Not knowing, researching, testing, making mistakes, revising and deciding again are part of the experience.
Does the young person have to attend in person?
It depends on the format and organiser. Experiences can be in person, online or combined, depending on implementation.
Can families help with the project?
Families can support the participant, but should not solve, develop or decide the project for the team. Young people retain authorship.
Is there a teacher or mentor?
Models with supported teams include institutional or pedagogical guidance. Mentors facilitate the process and ask questions rather than solving the challenge.
Is it a competition?
Mars Challenge is a permanent educational programme. Some experiences include evaluation, selection or competition, but those components do not define the programme.
Does participation guarantee an international final?
No. Progression depends on the rules, qualification mechanisms and conditions of the relevant edition.
Does participation guarantee prizes?
No. The educational value of the experience exists independently of prizes or rankings.
What conditions apply to minors?
The 2026 references include enhanced safeguarding, family consent and supervised environments. Families should check the specific current edition, organiser, activity and any travel conditions.
Who is responsible for the minor?
In the 2026 references, legal guardianship does not automatically transfer to Mars Challenge. Responsibilities remain with families, institutions and organisers as applicable. Certain situations may require medical or accident insurance. Confirm the responsible parties, documents and insurance required for the specific edition and activity.
How is the young person’s information protected?
Specific conditions depend on the current Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The 2026 reference provides for collecting only the data necessary for the programme. Review the applicable conditions before authorising participation.
How much does participation cost?
There is no universal family price. Conditions vary by country, institution, access route, format and edition. Confirm the current proposal and call.