Mars Rover Celebration
The 24th Annual Mars Rover Celebration will take place March 14th, 2026
Space Center Houston
1601 E. NASA Pkwy
Houston, TX 77058
Google map
*Mars Rover Celebration – Mission Briefing - Greetings, Space Explorers! Prepare for liftoff as we embark on an exciting day of innovation, exploration, and STEM adventure at this year’s Mars Rover Celebration! Phase 1: Surface Operations – NASA Gilruth Center Our mission will begin at the NASA Gilruth Center, where teams will showcase their rover and habitation designs and demonstrate their engineering ingenuity in competition. Judges will conduct evaluations during this phase as all teams complete their surface‑level missions. Participants should report directly to the Gilruth Center at the designated check‑in time. Once judging concludes, we’ll prepare for the next leg of our journey. Phase 2: Mission Transfer – Space Center Houston After all judging activities are complete, we will transition from the Gilruth Center to Space Center Houston to continue the celebration. Think of this as our “orbital transfer”—a short hop across campus to dive deeper into space exploration experiences. More details will be forthcoming!
Schedule of Events
*Schedule of events for students will be available soon.
Judge Schedule of Events
Schedule of events for judges will be available soon.
Judge Account
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How to Register & Participate
Teachers & Students/Projects
Student
Account Log-In
Judges
Register Online!
Registration Deadlines
Opens on
Closes on
Final Revisions Close*
Status
Registration Deadlines
Teacher/Adult Registration
Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
n/a
Closed
Teacher/Adult Registration (Closed)
Open: Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Close: Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
Student/Project Registration
Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
n/a
Closed
Student/Project Registration (Closed)
Open: Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Close: Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
Media Release Submissions
Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
Mar 10, 2026 (Tuesday)
Closed
Media Release Submissions (Closed)
Open: Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Close: Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
*Revisions: Mar 10, 2026 (Tuesday)
Judge Registration
Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
n/a
Closed
Judge Registration (Closed)
Open: Jan 20, 2026 (Tuesday)
Close: Mar 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
*final revision indicates the last date when you can re-upload your forms/paperwork when requested by our staff.
Divisions and Categories
The 24th Annual Mars Rover Celebration is open to all students in grades 3 through 8.
Students will be participating in 2 divisions:
Elementary Division (grades 3 - 5)
Middle School Division (grades 6 - 8)
Each division is separated into 4 categories:
(FF) Free Form
(HA) Habitation
(RC) Radio Control
(SP) Solar Powered
Thank you to our event sponsors. If you would like to sponsor the Mars Rover Celebration, please contact us.