Three Santa Monica High School students have been named finalists in the 2026 Conrad Challenge, an international innovation and entrepreneurship competition drawing more than 1,500 student teams from around the world.
Landon Kummer '28, Brandon Kirbyson '26 and Tobin Palmer '26, competing as team Aphelion, were selected as one of five finalist teams in the Aerospace and Aviation category.
Their project focuses on improving satellite steering technology. The team designed a two-degree-of-freedom steering system that reduces weight, cost and power consumption compared to current satellite positioning systems. Students developed a working prototype and conducted performance testing, demonstrating measurable improvements in mass and energy efficiency. The team also produced a business plan and website to support bringing the innovation to market.
The project was developed through Samohi's Project Lead the Way program and supported by the school's Nanoengineering Club.
Judges praised the project's depth and execution, calling it "one of the strongest innovations" in the competition and citing its "authentic engineering validation."
The team will travel to Space Center Houston in April to present their work to industry professionals and compete for top honors at the Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit.
"This recognition reflects the level of innovation and real-world problem-solving our students are capable of," said Samohi Principal Marae Cruce. "They are not only designing advanced technology, they are thinking like engineers, entrepreneurs and leaders."
The Conrad Challenge is an annual global competition challenging high school students to develop solutions to real-world problems across multiple STEM fields.
Edited by SMDP Staff