Video and Media Challenge
CTE Month® and NASA HUNCH 2026-2027
NASA HUNCH
Video & Media Challenge
2026–2027 Proposed Topic
Beyond the Astronaut
The Careers Powering Artemis
Beyond the Astronaut: The Careers Powering Artemis
“It takes thousands of people to land two on the Moon. Find your role in the mission.”
Topic Overview
NASA’s Artemis program is one of the most complex endeavors in human history — and it takes far more than astronauts and rocket engineers to make it happen. Behind every launch, every lunar EVA, and every mission milestone is a vast, diverse workforce spanning hundreds of disciplines.
This challenge asks student teams to pull back the curtain on that workforce: who are these people, what do they do, and how does a high school student today get there?
Students in every CTE pathway — from engineering and health science to media production and business — will find a genuine connection to their own future in this topic.
The Core Challenge Question
“Which career or careers make Artemis missions possible — and what does the path to that career look like for a student like you?”
Career Categories to Explore
Students may explore any of the following career families. This list is illustrative, not exhaustive — encourage teams to dig deeper.
Engineering & Technical
• Aerospace and mechanical engineers
• Propulsion and cryogenics specialists
• Avionics and electrical engineers
• Additive manufacturing / 3D printing technicians
• Robotics and automation engineers
• Thermal protection systems engineers (heatshields, insulation)
• Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) specialists
Life & Health Sciences
• Flight surgeons and aerospace medicine physicians
• Exercise physiologists supporting crew fitness in microgravity
• Nutritionists and food scientists developing space food
• Psychologists and behavioral health specialists for long-duration crews
• Pharmacists managing medication stability in deep space
Earth & Planetary Science
• Geologists training astronauts to identify and sample lunar rocks
• Selenographers (lunar surface mappers)
• Remote sensing and imagery analysts
• Space weather scientists
Information Technology & Cybersecurity
• Flight software developers
• Mission control systems engineers
• AI and machine learning engineers for autonomous systems
• Cybersecurity specialists protecting spacecraft communications
• Data scientists analyzing telemetry and crew health data
Operations & Mission Support
• Flight directors and flight controllers
• Capsule communicators (CAPCOMs)
• Launch directors and range safety officers
• Simulation and training engineers
• Logistics and supply chain specialists
Design & Manufacturing
• Industrial designers (crew interfaces, habitat interiors)
• Spacesuit and textile engineers
• Human factors and ergonomics specialists
• Quality assurance and safety inspectors
Communications & Media
• Public affairs officers and science communicators
• Visual information specialists and documentary filmmakers
• Technical writers and instructional designers
• Social media and digital engagement professionals
Business, Policy & Law
• Program and project managers
• Contract and procurement specialists
• Space law and policy analysts
• International partnership coordinators
Suggested Video Structures
Teams may choose any storytelling approach. We would rather see your students’ rather than graphics. The following five structures are offered as starting points:
1. The Deep Dive
Choose one career and profile it thoroughly. Who does this job? What does a typical day look like? What is the direct connection to an Artemis mission need? What is the educational pathway? An interview with a real professional strengthens this format significantly.
2. The Mosaic
Show three to five very different careers all converging on a single Artemis mission moment — a launch, a lunar landing, a sample return. Illustrate how interdependent the workforce is and how failure in any one role affects the whole mission.
3. The Student Journey
Follow a student — the video makers themselves or a peer — who is interested in a space-related career. Map their current CTE coursework to a real NASA role. Make it personal and aspirational, showing the specific steps from where they are today to their goal.
4. The Unexpected Career
Deliberately choose a career nobody associates with space exploration — chef, psychologist, lawyer, textile engineer — and make the case for why it is essential to Artemis. The goal is to genuinely surprise the audience and expand their sense of who belongs in the space industry.
5. The Local Connection
Find the Artemis connection in your own community. Is there a local company that manufactures a component? A university with a relevant research program? A CTE pathway that feeds directly into the aerospace workforce? Ground the story geographically and make the mission feel close to home.
What Makes a Strong Entry
Help students and teachers understand what separates a good video from a great one:
• Specificity over generality — Specificity over generality
“NASA needs engineers” is weak. “Thermal protection engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center design the heat shield tiles that protect Orion during reentry at 25,000 mph” is strong.
• The human element — The human element
Real people, real interviews, real stories resonate far more than narrated graphics alone.
• The pathway — The pathway
Every strong entry answers the question: how does a student today actually get to this role? Courses, certifications, degrees, and internships should all be addressed.
• The Artemis connection — The Artemis connection
The career must be explicitly tied to a real Artemis mission need, not space exploration in general.
• Peer-to-peer voice — Peer-to-peer voice
The best videos feel like one student talking to another, not a corporate explainer. Authenticity matters more than production polish.
Judging Rubric
The following rubric framework is recommended for evaluating entries:
Category What to Assess
Accuracy Are career facts, NASA mission details, and educational pathway information correct?
Depth Does the video go beyond surface-level description to genuinely illuminate the career?
Artemis Connection Is the link to a specific Artemis mission need clear and compelling?
Pathway Clarity Does a high school student watching this know what concrete steps to take toward the career?
Originality Did the team choose an unexpected angle, career, or storytelling approach?
Production Quality Is the video well-shot, edited, and paced effectively within the 2-minute format?
Inspiration Factor Would a peer watch this and feel genuinely motivated to explore this field?
20% Production Quality - of audio, video, use of creative techniques (e.g. animation or implement purposeful camera moves)
10% Does the video follow the guidelines- Length 2 minutes or less, incorporate the CTE Month and NASA HUNCH logo, Videos can be in any language, but if not in English please add English subtitles.
50% Video Content- message is appropriate to theme
20% for connections to CTE courses and Project Based Learning
Teacher & Facilitator Notes
Use the following guidance when introducing this challenge to students and preparing them for production:
• NASA’s workforce pages, Johnson Space Center career profiles, and the official Artemis mission site are strong primary sources for research.
• Students in non-engineering CTE pathways — health science, media arts, business, IT — should be explicitly encouraged. This topic is intentionally designed to include them.
• Local NASA field centers, contractors (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, SpaceX, Axiom Space), and university aerospace programs are all viable interview sources for teams.
• HUNCH alumni who are now working in the space industry can be powerful and accessible interview subjects.
• Remind students that Artemis II completed its crewed lunar flyby in April 2026 — this is a living, active program, making the careers behind it immediately relevant.
• The “Unexpected Career” structure is particularly good for non-engineering students and often produces the most memorable and creative videos.
• TEACHERS: BE SURE THAT YOUR STUDENTS GO TO THE ACTE WEB PAGE TO EXPLORE WHAT ACTE IS DOING AND REGISTER THEIR VIDEOS WITH ACTE. ALSO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS INCLUDE THE ACTE CTE MONTH LOGO.
Older videos can be seen as a guide at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3t8hjfINetYY_BevQckrPfptYw6Phv6r
Recommended Starting Resources
• nasa.gov/artemis — Official Artemis program page
• nasahunch.com — HUNCH program overview and past Video Challenge entries
• nasa.gov/careers — NASA workforce and career exploration tools
• jsc.nasa.gov — Johnson Space Center, mission control hub for Artemis
• ctemonth.org — ACTE’s CTE Month resources and partnership materials
• nasa.gov/learning-resources — STEM education resources aligned to Artemis missions
Prepared for NASA HUNCH Video & Media Challenge Planning
2026–2027 School Ye
🚸 Elementary School: Imagination Takes Flight!
Recommended Visual Style:
-- Cartoons
-- Stick Figures
-- You are welcome to use any Media
Let your wildest dreams soar! Use colorful cartoons or stick figure animations to tell how NASA’s Gateway could change the world. Draw, animate, and narrate your story—your imagination is the only limit!
🧑🔬 Middle School: Storytellers of Space
Recommended Visual Style:
-- Claymation
-- Stop Motion Video
-- Videos from Your Phones
-- You are welcome to use any Media
Get hands-on and bring your vision to life! Create your own Claymation astronauts or use stop motion with paper, toys, or LEGO to show how NASA’s Gateway advances science and technology. Surprise us with your creativity and technical skills!
🎬 High School: The Next Generation of Filmmakers
-- Recommended Visual Style:
-- Live Action Movie
-- Documentary-style Videos
-- You are welcome to use any Media
Lights, camera, action! Produce a live-action movie or a mini-documentary exploring the careers and technical skills behind NASA’s Lunar Outpost. Dive deep into storytelling, interviews, and cinematic effects to inspire and inform your audience.
🛰️ College: The Future Is Now
Recommended Visual Style:
-- Advanced Video Editing
-- Virtual Reality (VR)
-- Augmented Reality (AR)
-- You are welcome to use any Media
Push the boundaries of media! Use advanced video techniques or immersive VR and AR experiences to showcase NASA’s Gateway, its impact on humanity, and the vital role of CTE. Innovate, experiment, and lead the way into the future of storytelling.
📅 How to Join?
Go to https://nasahunch.com/forms
a- Have your Teacher Register
b- They can Sign Up the Students
Who: Individuals or teams in Elementary, Middle, High School, or College
What: Create a 2-minute video, using any of the recommended media styles
Theme: Gateway to the Cosmos — NASA’s Lunar Outpost
Deadline: March 15, 2027
🚀 Ready for Launch?
This is your mission—should you choose to accept it. Let your creativity lift off and be part of the journey to the stars!
Submit your entry and become a space media pioneer today!