New Space Prize Challenge: New Earth, Rocket Revolution. 4 to 10 October 2026

Current Challenge: 4 to 10 October 2026

New Earth:
Rocket Revolution

New Earth:
Rocket Revolution

New Earth:
Rocket Revolution

Students from across the world design and build their own rockets in Minecraft, fly them to Mars, then build a habitat together in one shared world. A Space Prize Challenge co-led with STEMAIVERSE, and an official World Space Week event.

Register your school

Build a rocket on Earth. Land it on Mars. Build a home there, together.

Build a rocket on Earth. Land it on Mars. Build a home there, together.

A Space Prize Challenge, co-led with STEMAIVERSE. An official World Space Week event, with industry partners Apex Hosting and SWIFT (Space Workforce Incubator for Texas).

New Earth is a global build inside Minecraft that runs during World Space Week. Schools and students from across the world have already registered. For one week they share one universe, and this year's challenge is Rocket Revolution: design a rocket, fly it to Mars, then build a habitat on the Red Planet alongside students from other countries.

New Earth is a global build inside Minecraft that runs during World Space Week. Schools and students from across the world have already registered. For one week they share one universe, and this year's challenge is Rocket Revolution: design a rocket, fly it to Mars, then build a habitat on the Red Planet alongside students from other countries.

New Earth is a global build inside Minecraft that runs during World Space Week. Schools and students from across the world have already registered. For one week they share one universe, and this year's challenge is Rocket Revolution: design a rocket, fly it to Mars, then build a habitat on the Red Planet alongside students from other countries.

How the week works

How the week works

How the week works

All times are US-Central

The practice world.

Sunday 4 October, 5pm, to Wednesday 7 October, 9pm. Each student gets their own plot to design and build a rocket.

Landing day.

Thursday 8 October. The rockets arrive on Mars, and students rest before the final build.

The final collaboration.

Thursday 8 October, 9pm, to Friday 9 October, 9pm. The Mars world stays open for 24 hours so every time zone can take part, and every student joins it to build a habitat together.

Registered schools receive the times for their own time zone.

Register Now

Registered schools receive the times for their own time zone.

Register Now

What students need

What students need

What students need

Their own Minecraft Bedrock account, already working, on a laptop, iPad or phone.

Minecraft Education and games consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch) cannot join the server.

Nothing to pay. New Earth is free for schools and families.

Safety comes first

Safety comes first

Safety comes first

Students are registered by a teacher or parent, never by themselves, and every student has a parent's or school's permission before they join. The world runs on a private server hosted by Apex Hosting, and only registered players can get in.

Every student is recognised

Every student is recognised

Every student is recognised

Every student who takes part receives a New Earth certificate through their school.

NB: Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang Synergies AB. New Earth is not an official Minecraft product and is not approved by or associated with Mojang or Microsoft.

Students building Mars habitats during New Earth, May 2025. Photos: STEMAIVERSE.

Teachers: register your school team. Joining details and the student guide follow once you register.

Register Now

Teachers: register your school team. Joining details and the student guide follow once you register.

Register Now

See last year's build: "6 Continents, 1 Problem, 1 Solution" (91 seconds).

See last year's build: "6 Continents, 1 Problem, 1 Solution" (91 seconds).