National Space Society names 2026 Rothblatt competition winners, opens 2027 entries

The National Space Society announced the winners of its 2026 Martine Rothblatt Space Settlement in Our Lifetime Business Plan Competition and opened applications for the 2027 contest. The annual program awarded $32,000 across three teams focused on lunar economics, space power and food production, with entries due Feb. 15, 2027.

Why it matters: - The competition is designed to back business plans that could move humanity off Earth in productive and peaceful ways. - The prize pool totals $32,000, giving early-stage space settlement ideas cash and public visibility. - The 2027 contest is now open worldwide, expanding the pipeline of space-focused ventures.

What happened: - The National Space Society announced the winners of the 2026 Martine Rothblatt Space Settlement in Our Lifetime Business Plan Competition on July 17, 2026. - Three finalist teams were chosen from hundreds of entries submitted from around the globe. - Finalists presented their plans in person at the National Space Society’s annual International Space Development Conference in early June. - The 2027 competition opened for entries at spacebizplan.nss.org. - The deadline for 2027 submissions is Feb. 15, 2027.

The details: - Michael Castle-Miller of Beacon, New York, won the $16,000 first prize for “Lunar economy Simulation.” - Castle-Miller’s plan would develop a multi-actor modeling platform for lunar economic and governance experimentation. - Sathesh Raj Periasamey of Malaysia and Florence Pauline Basubas of the Philippines won the $10,000 second prize for “Solar-Microbial Intelligent Lunar Energy System.” - Their plan proposed a biologically based method of harnessing and transmitting power in space. - Jonathan Pickering and Shaun Mungall of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada won the $6,000 third prize for “SolVita Gardens.” - Their plan centers on a modular, automated food-production platform optimized for space and low-gravity environments. - Dr. Michael Kobrin, the competition’s executive manager, said this year’s submissions were exceptional and that the organization is looking forward to 2027 entries. - The competition is open to anyone anywhere on Earth, subject to local and regional law. - Youth is encouraged to apply. - Competition details, goals and videos featuring Dr. Martine Rothblatt’s vision of space settlement are available on the website.

Between the lines: - The contest highlights a practical shift in space settlement thinking, moving from broad concepts to business plans tied to lunar economics, energy and food systems. - The international spread of winners suggests the space economy conversation is no longer confined to U.S. teams. - The inclusion of youth points to a deliberate effort to build a longer-term talent pipeline.

What's next: - The National Space Society will review 2027 submissions ahead of the Feb. 15 deadline. - More applicants are expected to come from outside the United States as the contest remains open globally. - The organization will likely use the 2027 cycle to showcase new ideas for space settlement, power and life-support infrastructure. - More information is available through the competition website and the National Space Society’s main site, nss.org.