JA Europe, Boeing, and Vlajo (JA Belgium FL) are proud to announce the launch of the Space Station Innovation Challenge 2026, a landmark STEM education initiative that places 200 young Belgians at the centre of one of humanity’s most complex engineering endeavours.
Running from April to November 2026, the programme brings together students from 10 secondary schools across Flanders, all enrolled in a STEM-track double finality programme to design, build, and pitch a fully operational space station. Working in teams of five, students are each assigned one of five interdisciplinary STEM challenges: transport systems, energy generation, radiation and pressure management, communication networks, and water and nutrition for a crew in space.
Each team researches, designs, and produces a solution that is then integrated into a co-constructed space station concept, developed collaboratively across all five themes.
The programme culminates in the week of 9–13 November 2026 in Brussels, where students will present their work to a high-level jury of Boeing engineers and members of the European Parliament. Presentations include both a 3D-printed physical model and a 2D visual pitch, a format that demands both technical rigour and communication skills.
Salvatore Nigro, Chief Executive Officer of JA Europe, said: “The Moon has always represented the outer boundary of human ambition. What excites me about the Space Station Innovation Challenge is that it asks 200 young Belgians not to admire that ambition from a distance, but to engineer it. These students are working on problems that real space agencies are still solving — and they are doing it in the classroom, in teams, with the rigour and creativity that will define their generation’s contribution to Europe. This is what JA Europe was built for.”
JA Europe will share regular updates throughout the campaign, including a five-part STEM learning series exploring the science and engineering behind each of the five space station challenges. Follow @JAEurope on LinkedIn and Instagram for monthly updates as the mission unfolds.
About JA Europe
JA Europe is the largest provider of entrepreneurship education in Europe, delivering hands-on learning experiences to young people across 40+ countries through a network of member organisations, corporate partners, and volunteers.
