美国国家航天局（NASA）TechLeap 奖：轨道清晰度挑战赛

轨道清晰度挑战赛（Orbital Clarity Challenge）是 NASA TechLeap 奖项系列中的第六项赛事，由美国国家航天局（NASA）太阳物理学部（Heliophysics Division）、飞行机会项目（Flight Opportunities program）以及协同创新卓越中心（Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation）共同发起。太阳物理学部负责研究空间天气，包括太阳活动（solar activity）剧烈时如何加热并膨胀地球（Earth）的外层大气（outer atmosphere），从而通过大气密度（atmospheric density）的变化产生轨道阻力。此次挑战赛旨在征集能够测量近地轨道（low earth orbit）热层密度、压力或阻力的低成本方法。NASA 正在寻找那些既经济又具备足够可扩展性，能够批量生产并作为搭载载荷在商业航天器上运行的方案。该挑战赛将分为三个阶段进行，在 12 个月内将最多四个获胜者的概念推进至飞行就绪方案。挑战赛结束后，NASA 计划为每个获胜团队提供一次免费的测试飞行机会。

The Orbital Clarity Challenge — the sixth in the NASA TechLeap Prize series — is a collaborative effort between NASA’s Heliophysics Division, Flight Opportunities program, and Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation. The Heliophysics Division studies space weather, including how it heats and expands Earth’s outer atmosphere during intense solar activity, creating orbital drag through atmospheric density changes. The challenge calls for low-cost methods of measuring thermospheric density, pressure, or drag in low Earth orbit. NASA is seeking approaches that are inexpensive and scalable enough to be produced in quantity and flown as hosted payloads across the commercial fleet. The challenge will unfold across three phases, advancing up to four winners’ concepts to a flight-ready solution within 12 months. At the conclusion of the challenge, NASA intends to offer each winning team a test flight at no cost.

奖项：最多四名获胜者可在三个阶段中获得总计最高 500,000 美元的奖金

Award: Up to four winners may receive up to $500,000 in prizes across three phases

挑战赛开放日期：2026 年 8 月 19 日

Challenge Open Date: August 19, 2026

第一阶段注册截止日期：2026 年 10 月 28 日

Phase 1 Registration Close Date: October 28, 2026

第一阶段提交截止日期：2026 年 11 月 11 日

Phase 1 Submission Close: November 11, 2026

欲了解更多信息，请访问：https://occ.nasatechleap.org/

For more information, visit: https://occ.nasatechleap.org/