CAP/NASA AVIATION SKYWATCH MISSION

Cadet and senior members over the age of 14 are invited to join the 2026 Aviation Skywatch Mission and take part in an exciting citizen science adventure with Civil Air Patrol in collaboration with NASA. The deadline for teams to register is Feb. 14, 2026.

What is the 2026 Aviation Skywatch Mission? 

Aviation Skywatch, an official CAP mission, is the 2026 CAP/NASA Mission. This will be the fifth mission conducted by Civil Air Patrol in collaboration with NASA, building on the success of the previous CAP/NASA missions. The mission harkens back to Operation Skywatch, a U.S. Air Force program in the 1950s designed to identify and track aircraft before radar was available; CAP helped train the skywatchers of the Ground Observer Corps.

More about the Mission

• Collect data and atmospheric conditions (similar to the 2025 Aviation Weather Mission).

• Identify and track specific aircraft across multiple wings and regions.

• Help NASA scientists better understand weather conditions that impact commercial aircraft.

• Choose two of three Observation dates: March 14, April 11, and May 16.

• Teams must participate in two of the missions to receive credit.

Why join?

• Be part of a NASA-supported citizen science project.

• Learn about aviation weather, aircraft identification, orienteering, tracking, and communications.

• Gain hands-on STEM experiences that make a difference.

• Connect with a team of curious, motivated cadets and mentors.

• Get QCUA credit for STEM Team.

• Participants are eligible to apply for CAP/NASA Micro Internships.

Sign up today

Participating squadrons are responsible for fielding an observation team of 8 to 18 CAP volunteers. These volunteers should:

• Be in good standing

• Have received their first achievement (Curry Award) if a Cadet

• Have completed their GES (General Emergency Services) training

• Have completed Level 1 if a Senior Member

• Have completed Cadet Protection Training if over 18

• Have a complete CAP utility uniform such as ABUs, OCPs, or CAP Polos. Note: A CAP Hot Weather uniform is authorized for this mission for situations such as extreme heat conditions when other uniforms may prove to be a safety issue.

• Have completed the Core Training Materials before their first observation mission

Teams can be composed entirely of Senior Members, Cadets (with the required adult supervision onsite), or a combination of Cadets and SMs. If a squadron does not have enough volunteers to field a team alone, they are welcome to form a joint observation team with a neighboring unit. 

Questions?

If you have additional questions or need clarification, please contact the Mission Director Capt. Dave Wells at dwells@cap.gov