It would be wonderful if you could help spread the word about this year’s application cycle for the Schweickart Prize by sharing it with graduate students or recent grads who might be strong applicants for this unique award. See link to flyer below. The award was created to honor Apollo Astronaut and B612 and Asteroid Day Co-founder Rusty Schweickart.
The students who have won over the last two years are now actively working in the planetary defense field and advancing their ideas. Any help you can provide in reaching potential candidates would be greatly appreciated.
Also, if you’d like to join our ambassador webinar it’s a great way to learn more about the prize and the process. It is happening Thursday, September 18th at 9am PDT / 12pm EDT / 6pm CEST. Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart will join co-chairs Rusty B Schweickart and Randy Schweickart to review this past year and provide insight on the 2026 application process. This is also a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the prize.
And here is link to the flyer to share with students.
Hi Rafael,
The prize is open to ANY country in the world. I hope that we see more from Chile. We had one applicate from Chile this last year, while she didn’t win the prize she did receive honorable mention! Please scroll down the home page here https://www.schweickartprize.org/ and you see her name and her proposal.
The 2026 Schweickart Prize application window is closing soon (Feb 4), and the upcoming webinars on January 21 & 22 offer interested students the chance to gain insights into the application process and how strong ideas evolve into prize-winning proposals. Hear directly from the Prize Co-Chairs Rusty B and Randy Schweickart, and the 2025 prize winners as they share perspectives on what makes proposals stand out.
Don’t miss the chance to win $10,000 USD, receive a museum-quality award, and share your innovative ideas with experts from around the world. RSVP today to receive webinar details and updates.
Reminder: Application deadline is February 4, 2026
Make sure to fill in this pre-application form to begin the process. To learn more about the application process, its requirements and upcoming dates, check out our FAQ and For Students pages. This year’s final application deadline is February 4, 2026 and will require:
A 500 word proposal with a solution to one of the interdisciplinary challenges facing planetary defense
A 250 word personal statement reflecting career aspirations
Check out this Application Proposal Guidance post to discover what the selection committee values most in a winning proposal. Similar to last year’s prize, this year’s prize does not have a specific theme - it is open to all areas related to Planetary Defense.
