NASA Selects Finalists for Student Aircraft Maintenance Challenge

Eight teams will receive funding and advance to the next phase of the Gateways to Blue Skies competition.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 6:44am

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NASA has selected eight student teams as finalists in the 2026 Gateways to Blue Skies Competition, which challenges them to develop innovative solutions to address maintenance issues facing the commercial aviation industry. The finalist teams will receive $9,000 in funding and advance to Phase 2 of the competition, where they will present their final proposals at the Gateways to Blue Skies Forum.

Why it matters

The Gateways to Blue Skies Competition aims to tap into student innovation to help address critical challenges facing the aviation industry, including a shortage of qualified maintenance workers and the need to keep increasingly complex aircraft running for longer periods. By engaging students, NASA hopes to stimulate the potential aviation workforce of tomorrow and generate concepts that can improve efficiency, safety, and costs for the aviation maintenance industry.

The details

The current Gateways to Blue Skies competition, called RepAir: Advancing Aircraft Maintenance, challenged teams of postsecondary students to conceptualize innovative systems and practices that could advance current commercial aircraft maintenance and repair operations. The eight finalist teams proposed a range of solutions, including robotic inspections, augmented reality smart glasses, and sensor and machine learning architectures.

  • The Gateways to Blue Skies Forum, where the finalist teams will present their proposals, will be held on May 18, 2026 at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
  • Following the forum, members of the winning team who fulfill eligibility criteria will be offered the opportunity to intern with NASA Aeronautics.

The players

NASA

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which is leading the Gateways to Blue Skies competition to address critical challenges facing the aviation industry.

Steven Holz

The associate project manager for NASA's University Innovation Project and a co-chair of the judging panel for the Gateways to Blue Skies competition.

National Institute of Aerospace

The organization that manages the Gateways to Blue Skies challenge on behalf of NASA.

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What they’re saying

“Through this competition, students will learn about aviation maintenance and be empowered to change its future.”

— Steven Holz, Associate Project Manager, NASA University Innovation Project; Co-Chair, Gateways to Blue Skies Judging Panel

What’s next

Following the Gateways to Blue Skies Forum on May 18, 2026, members of the winning team who fulfill eligibility criteria will be offered the opportunity to intern with NASA Aeronautics.

The takeaway

The Gateways to Blue Skies competition demonstrates NASA's commitment to tapping into student innovation to address critical challenges facing the aviation industry, particularly in the area of aircraft maintenance. By engaging the next generation of problem-solvers, NASA aims to stimulate the potential aviation workforce of tomorrow and generate concepts that can improve efficiency, safety, and costs for the industry.