NASA Space Apps News

Registration for the 2023 NASA International Space Apps Challenge—a global hackathon for coders and creatives, scientists and storytellers—is now open. The theme for this year’s event is “Explore Open Science Together,” and as participants will discover, the hackathon’s 30 challenges invite people from around the globe to come together and use the free and open data from NASA and its Space Agency Partners to solve the real-world challenges on Earth and in space. The NASA Space Apps Challenge starts on October 7 at 9:00 a.m. (local time) and ends on October 8 at 11:59 p.m. (local time), when project submissions are due. However, many Space Apps activities start before October 7. Once participants register for a Space Apps account and sign-up for a Local Event (or the Universal Event), they can begin checking their dashboard for important messages from the Space Apps Global Organizing Team about their hackathon journey. By participating in the Space Apps Challenge, team members learn about NASA’s data holdings and share in the creation and application of the knowledge that results from their efforts. This annual global hackathon encourages collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, and leverages participants’ interest in space to foster the next generation of scientists, technologists, designers, science communicators, engineers, and global citizens. Launched in collaboration with NASA’s Transform to Open Science (TOPS) initiative, this year’s theme acknowledges 2023 as A Year of Open Science, as declared by NASA, the White House, and other federal agencies. The challenges comprising this year’s event are designed to broaden participation in science, increase accessibility to the free and open data available from NASA and its international partners, and encourage the use of new technologies that can help us respond to a variety of scientific questions. Some of this year’s challenges were developed in collaboration with NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program and utilize open data available through NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Among this year’s challenges are: A Marketplace for Open Science Projects, which challenges participants to create a solution that will help people who are looking for open-source projects to work on and project creators who need skilled contributors to find each other and communicate. Be a Space Geologist, which invites Space Apps Challenge teams to create an app that enables geologists to use NASA’s Earth observation data to conduct research. EMIT for the Future, which asks Space Apps Challenge teams to develop an app that can help raise community awareness of what NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) mission is, how EMIT’s imaging spectrometer can be used, and what has already been accomplished with its mission data. GeoAI Reimagined: Transformative and Diverse Earth Science Applications Using Foundation Models, which challenges teams to develop an accurate and efficient artificial intelligence (AI) model (or models) for a range of critical geospatial applications, such as disaster recovery operations, environmental change monitoring (e.g., greenhouse gas detection and monitoring), geospatial data discovery, and more. International Space Station Earth-Observing Data VISION-aries Wanted, which tasks participants with expanding the functionality of an open-source web-based tool called VISIONS—Visible to ShortWave InfraRed Imaging Spectroscopy Interface for Open Science—to include more remote sensing platforms or enhanced features. Open Science Storytelling, which challenges teams to tell an open science success story in a creative way using any form of storytelling—from singing to poetry to dance to puppetry to acrobatics and beyond! NASA TOPS is also offering NASA Space Apps Challenge participants the opportunity to pre-enroll in their Open Science 101 training. This in-person or online training is designed to help scientists, researchers, and citizen scientists foster an open-science environment. Through five learning modules, Open Science 101 covers how to discover and access quality online resources, how to successfully communicate scientific findings, and how to format science in a way that others can incorporate into their research. Since its inception in 2012, NASA’s Space Apps Challenge has engaged more than 220,000 people from more than 185 countries and territories. In 2023, NASA is joined by more than a dozen international Space Agency Partners, including the Australian Space Agency, Brazilian Space Agency, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), Italian Space Agency, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), Mexican Space Agency, National Space Activities Commission of Argentina, National Space Science Agency of Bahrain, Paraguayan Space Agency, South African National Space Agency, and the Turkish Space Agency. This participation from NASA’s space agency partners around the world encourages more extensive global collaboration and provides a broader platform for participants to contribute to the fields of Earth and space science and technology through the NASA Space Apps Challenge. After the hackathon, project submissions will be judged by space agency experts and leaders to help select the NASA Space Apps winners. The final Global Winners will be selected to win one of 10 Global Awards in several categories, including Best Use of Science, Best Use of Data, Best Use of Technology, Most Inspirational, Best Storytelling, and more. The NASA Space Apps Challenge is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. Learn More and Register For more information and to register for an in-person or virtual event, visit the 2023 NASA International Space Apps Challenge website at spaceappschallenge.org.

Ten teams from around the world have been named the Global Winners of the 2023 NASA International Space Apps Challenge. The Challenge is the largest annual global hackathon, and gives participants the opportunity to engage with real world problems we face on Earth and in space.   The 2023 NASA Space Apps Challenge welcomed 57,999 registered participants, including space, science, technology, and storytelling enthusiasts of all ages. Participants came together from 152 countries and territories to celebrate a Year of Open Science with the theme of “Explore Open Science Together” in collaboration with NASA’s Transform to Open Science (TOPS). Teams used NASA and Space Agency Partner free and open data to address challenges written by NASA Subject Matter Experts. Challenges ranged in topic from climate change to biodiversity, space exploration, and data visualization.   The 2023 Global Winners represent the highest rated projects out of 5,556 submissions, as determined by subject matter experts from NASA and 13 Space Agency Partners.   “The NASA International Space Apps Challenge is the perfect example of global cooperation – uniting the next generation of innovators across 152 countries this year into a community that contributes to NASA’s mission for the benefit of all,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Lowering the boundaries of science through the NASA Space Apps Challenge is paramount for inspiring the next generation – the Artemis Generation – so that they can solve today’s problems on Earth and in space for tomorrow’s future. Congratulations to the 2023 Global Winners of the NASA Space Apps Challenge.”   In this year’s live Global Winners announcement, former NASA astronaut Dr. Cady Coleman praised the innovation and collaboration of the NASA Space Apps community and the Global Winners. “Participants’ innovative solutions using NASA and Space Agency Partner open data and their commitment to global collaboration are paving the way for a more inclusive scientific community for the next generation of scientists, technologists, designers, and storytellers,” said Coleman. “Their projects show the power of what we can accomplish with open science and knowledge sharing.”   The ten 2023 NASA Space Apps Challenge Global Winners are:   Best Use of Science Award: LunarTech Ensemble Challenge: Make a Moonquake Map 2.0! Country/Territory: Egypt This team developed a website and immersive game to help people understand and visualize the lunar seismic data gathered by instruments left behind during NASA’s Apollo missions. Learn more about LunarTech Ensemble’s winning project   Best Use of Data Award: Storm Prophet Challenge: Develop the Oracle of DSCOVR Country/Territory: Ukraine Team “Storm Prophet” created a data model to accurately predict geomagnetic storm levels using data analysis and LSTM models. Learn more about Storm Prophet’s winning project   Best Use of Technology Award: Spacebee Challenge: Make a Moonquake Map 2.0! Country/Territory: United States and Argentina (Universal Event) This team developed a website that integrates moonquake data collected by seismometers deployed on Apollo missions, including the moonquake locations, type of moonquake, and date and data plots based on ALSEP Apollo experiments data. Learn more about Spacebee’s winning project   Galactic Impact Award: Greetings from Earth!! Challenge: Ocean Gardens Country/Territory: Brazil This team developed an interactive website that provides a visualization of NASA data that allows the user to visualize oceans not merely as vast expanses of water, but as the gardens of our planet, regulating climate and nurturing diverse life forms. Learn more about Greetings from Earth!!’s winning project   Best Mission Concept Award: ASTROGENESIS Challenge: Planetary Tourism Office Country/Territory: Peru This team created an interactive platform that allows you to explore the cosmos by creating personalized itineraries to visit planets, moons, and other celestial destinations. Learn more about ASTROGENESIS’s winning project   Most Inspirational Award: Space Quest Maidens – Donzelas da Missao Espacial Challenge: Eclipses: Perspective is Everything Country/Territory: Brazil This team developed an interactive educational tool called ECLIPSE: CELESTIAL SHADOWS to teach children about the mechanics of eclipses. Learn more about Space Quest Maidens – Donzelas da Missão Espacials winning project   Best Storytelling Award: TeamVoyagers Challenge: Everything Starts with Water Country/Territory: Bangladesh Team Voyagers built an interactive web-based game that tells the imperative story of the complexities of the water cycle, as well as the urgent need to understand the climate’s impact on freshwater resources. Learn more about Team Voyagers’ winning project   Global Connection Award: Arcobaleno Challenge: Immersed in the Sounds of Space Country/Territory: Brazil Team Arcoboleno created a method that transforms 2D and 3D images into a sensory experience. Their project aims to provide people with sight impairments a way to connect with the world and explore the cosmos through the sonification of NASA open data. Learn more about Arcobaleno’s winning project   Art & Technology Award: Oogway Comics Challenge: Habitable Exoplanets: Creating Worlds Beyond Our Own Country/Territory: Tajikistan Oogway Comics used NASA data to conceptualize an exoplanet suitable for life and developed a comic book to tell the planet’s story. Learn more about Oogway Comics’ winning project   Local Impact Award: $quality_over_quantity Challenge: Explore a Biodiversity Hotspot with Imaging Spectroscopy Country/Territory: Taiwan This team developed a method to explore local biodiversity hotspots and prioritize protection of areas with more efficiency. Learn more about $quality_over_quantitys’ winning project     You can watch the Global Winners Announcement HERE.   Interested in participating in the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge? Mark your calendars for Oct. 5 and 6!   Registration will open later this year. At that time, participants will be able to register for a Local Event hosted by NASA Space Apps Local Leads around the world.   Space Apps is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse.

NASA invites a global community of innovators, technologists, storytellers, and problem solvers to register for the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge, the largest annual global hackathon. The annual event,  held this year on October 5-6, fosters innovation through international collaboration by providing an opportunity for participants to utilize NASA’s free and open data and space-based data from space agency partners. “It takes a variety of skills and perspectives to launch a mission into space, and NASA’s Space Apps Challenge brings people together across cultures and borders toward solving real world problems on Earth and in space,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “I am excited that this year’s NASA Space Apps Challenge participants will join in our global Heliophysics Big Year celebration. I look forward to seeing all the innovative ideas that our future generation puts forth.” This year, the NASA Space Apps Challenge welcomes 15 international space agency partners, including two new agencies: the Communications, Space & Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia and the Spanish Space Agency. NASA Space Apps also welcomes back the Australian Space Agency, Brazilian Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Indian Space Research Organization, Italian Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Mexican Space Agency, National Space Activities Commission of Argentina, National Space Science Agency of Bahrain, Paraguayan Space Agency, South African National Space Agency, and the Turkish Space Agency.   During the NASA Space Apps Challenge, participants around the world gather at hundreds of simultaneous in-person and virtual local events to address challenges submitted by subject matter experts across NASA divisions. These challenges range in complexity and topic, tasking participants with everything from creating artistic visualizations of NASA data to conceptualizing and developing informational apps and software programs. In keeping with this year’s theme, “The Sun Touches Everything,” NASA Space Apps invites participants to consider the far-reaching influence of the Sun on Earth and space science. The theme connects participants with NASA’s Heliophysics Division’s celebration of the Helio Big Year. After the hackathon, project submissions are judged by space agency experts. Winners are selected for one of 10 global awards and invited to an in-person celebration with NASA leadership and subject matter experts. NASA Space Apps is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. The theme for the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge is funded by NASA Heliophysics Division. We invite you to register for the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge and choose a virtual or in-person local event near you at:  spaceappschallenge.org Stay up to date with #SpaceApps by following these accounts: X: @SpaceApps Instagram: @nasa_spaceapps Facebook: @spaceappschallenge YouTube: @NASASpaceAppsChallenge