Each October, over the course of two days, coders, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists from around the world come together in a global hackathon. Participants in the NASA International Space Apps Challenge create in-person and virtual teams to solve challenges using open-source data from NASA and its Space Agency Partners.
The 2023 Space Agency Partners include 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.
The answers provided on this page are in relation to the 2023 NASA International Space Apps Challenge. These answers are subject to change ahead of the next NASA Space Apps Challenge held on October 5-6, 2024.
The Space Apps Challenge, founded in 2012, has become the largest annual global hackathon in the world. While the top projects are recognized as Global Winners, Space Apps is all about collaboration! Our mission is focused on the following objectives:
The 2023 NASA Space Apps Challenge theme is "Explore Open Science Together" in collaboration with NASA Transform to Open Science (TOPS). This theme acknowledges 2023 as A Year of Open Science - as declared by NASA, the White House, and other Federal Agencies.
You can learn more about the 2023 theme on our blog.
Space Apps is for everyone, including those who have never “hacked" before! All passionate problem solvers, from students to life-long learners, are encouraged to join. While some of our challenges are technical, others ask you to use artistic skills, business acumen, or your imagination.
In other words, you do not need to be a coder or data expert to be a part of the Space Apps Challenge. In fact, teams with the most diverse sets of skills are often the most successful!
There is no cost to participate in the Space Apps Challenge. If you are asked to pay money to participate in any aspect of a NASA Space Apps event, do not pay anything, and please report to [email protected].
Participants who are under the age of 18 must be registered for the event by a parent or legal guardian and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times during the event.
Participants register as individuals, not as teams. Forming your team is a separate process.
Each year we provide these detailed guides to help you navigate the hackathon:
You can view our most recent guides on our Resources page.
The 2023 Space Apps Challenge will start on October 7 at 9:00 a.m. (local time) and end 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 you sign up for a Space Apps account, start checking your Messages from the Space Apps Global Organizing (GO) Team for important information regarding your hackathon journey.
Please also look on your Local Event page and communicate with your Local Lead to learn about other events and deadlines that are specific to your location.
Sign up for a Space Apps account HERE. Once you input your information, you will be prompted to verify your email address.
Participant registration for Space Apps 2023 opens in mid-July and will remain open through the end of the hackathon on October 8, 2023 (11:59 p.m. local time).
To participate in the Space Apps Challenge, you must register for a Local Event or the Universal Event. We encourage you to complete this step at least one to two weeks before the hackathon to start forming your team and joining Space Apps Connect.
The Space Apps Challenge features hundreds of Local Events allowing participants to find potential teammates located in the same community or time zone, or who speak the same language. Since one of the goals of Space Apps is to build local communities, we suggest that participants join a Local Event based on their physical location or their networks/connections to a particular location. If there are no Local Events in your area, you can register for the Universal Event.
You can change your Local Event by clicking "Leave this Location" on the Local Event page you are currently registered for.
Teams may consist of participants from one Local Event or from several Local Events. You may eventually choose to join a team that is tied to another Local Event because you like their project idea. Or you may choose to invite people from other Local Events to join your team because you need their skills. During Local Judging your project will be evaluated by the local judges at the Local Event for which your team is registered.
Local Leads are the organizers of Space Apps Challenge Local Events. They are available to answer questions and help connect you to potential teammates prior to the hackathon. Local Leads are the primary points of contact for your Local Event and will support your hackathon experience. Please reach out to them as you prepare and for specific details regarding your Local Event!
The Space Apps Virtual Bootcamp is a series of video tutorials developed by Space Apps Navigators, Global Winners, Space Agency Partners, Local Leads, Global Collaborators, and Subject Matter Experts. At the beginning of August, videos will be posted to the Space Apps website and YouTube. Video hosts will provide tips for a successful hackathon experience and guidance regarding the Space Apps Challenge Statements, resources, and open data.
Space Apps Connect provides a forum for you to connect with the Space Apps community and get valuable support for your hackathon journey! In 2023, Space Apps Connect was hosted on GitHub.
The forum opens in late September and will remain open through 11:59pm (local time) on October 8. Along with your fellow participants, here is who you’ll find in Space Apps Connect:
Find step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the Space Apps Connect in our Space Apps Connect Guide, available in September.
YES. Space Apps Connect is completely FREE for everyone to use.
When signing up for a GitHub account, GitHub will ask you which plan you would like to use. A FREE account will provide all of the capabilities you need to participate in the Space Apps Challenge. You do not need to make any monetary purchases to fully experience everything Space Apps Connect has to offer!
If you are prompted or suggested to purchase something while using GitHub, please understand that NASA is not responsible for any purchases you make.
Bullying, discrimination, or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated during the Space Apps Challenge. Space Apps is committed to providing a professional and productive forum for all participants to engage in a robust exchange of ideas regarding the challenges. At all times, participants are responsible for maintaining professional decorum and treating each other with respect and dignity. We strive to ensure that Space Apps is a place where every person feels they belong, where they are comfortable being authentic, and where they are empowered to contribute to their fullest.
Participants who violate these conduct guidelines may face a warning, suspension, or be expelled from the event.
If you experience or witness discrimination, harassment, or any form of bullying during the Space Apps Challenge, or have any other concerns, please contact your Local Lead and/or the Space Apps Global Organizing (GO) Team at [email protected].
Space Apps Challenge Hackathon Challenge Statements are developed by NASA personnel. They encompass a wide variety of topics from Earth science to space exploration.
A summary of each Challenge Statement is released several weeks in advance of the hackathon. Full Challenge Statements and supporting resources become available closer to the start of the hackathon. We encourage you to review each and select a Challenge Statement for your Team Project before the hackathon starts. Follow Space Apps on social media to find out as soon as Challenge Summaries and Challenge Statements become available.
We appreciate the enthusiasm of participants who want to start as early as possible. However, participants should not begin working on their project until the first day of the hackathon at 9:00 a.m. (local time).
As a reminder, The Space Apps Challenge is held over the course of two days, therefore participants are not expected to submit a fully developed project at the end. The purpose, rather, is to inspire innovative ideas and develop solution-oriented projects in a collaborative, team environment.
Questions about Challenge Statement subject matter or resources can be asked in Space Apps Connect in the week leading up to and during the hackathon. Members of the Space Apps GO Team, Space Apps Navigators, and Subject Matter Experts will be available to answer your questions.
For information on how to access the Space Apps Connect Discussion forum, please read our Space Apps Connect guide on the Resources page.
To be eligible for Global Judging and Global Awards, teams must respond to one of the Challenge Statements. However, you have the option to select "Create Your Own Challenge” to develop a project based on your own idea. While projects in this category are a great way to explore personal scientific interests, they are not eligible for Global Judging or Global Awards from NASA.
Local Awards are determined by Local Leads. Therefore, projects in this category may be eligible for Local Awards. We encourage you to check with your Local Lead to determine if Local Awards are a part of your Local Event and if “Create Your Own Challenge” projects are eligible to receive a Local Award.
Part of the Space Apps Challenge experience is connecting with like-minded problem solvers from your own community and around the world! Participants are encouraged to create teams that include individuals with diverse skill sets and backgrounds. A diverse team provides you with the opportunity to learn from one another and sets your team up for hackathon success!
YES. An individual is allowed to create a team and submit a project independently. However, we encourage all participants to be part of a larger team. We have found that the most successful projects come from teams of individuals with a variety of skills and backgrounds. For example, we encourage participants with non-technical backgrounds to connect with developers, designers, and people with scientific backgrounds to form a team.
The ideal size for a team is four to five people. The limit for a team is six people. If a team gets too big, it can be difficult for the team to focus; if it is too small, the team may not have all the skills/knowledge needed to solve a challenge.
Yes. One person from each team is responsible for creating/registering the team. That person is known as the “Team Owner.” Please note that the team will be associated with the Local Event that the Team Owner is registered for, and will appear on the Local Event page associated with the Team Owner.
The Local Event your team is associated with affects two things:
We encourage you to invite your friends and community members to participate with you! You can also self-organize into teams before the event with the help of your Local Lead, who may know other registered participants looking for teammates. Find the contact information for your Local Leads on your Local Event page.
You can also find teammates through Space Apps Connect once it opens.
Yes.
If you’ve already created a team but have changed your mind about which challenge you want to tackle, you are welcome to pick a new challenge. The Team Owner can do this by by choosing the blue “Edit Details” option on your team's About page.
The Space Apps Challenge is a platform to inspire innovative ideas and solutions through collaboration and teamwork. Teams are not expected to submit a fully developed project at the end of the hackathon. We encourage all participants to submit what they accomplish over the course of the two-day event.
Every team must create a project page on the Space Apps website to describe the scope of its work. Each team will answer the same set of questions about its hackathon project.
We encourage teams to create a project page as soon as the hackathon begins and to add information as the event progresses.
All team members must be registered for the hackathon, join a Local Event or the Universal Event, and be identified on the team’s project page to be eligible for Global Judging and Global Awards.
Project submission opens on Saturday, October 7 at 9:00 AM (local time, in accordance with the local time of the Local Event for which your team is registered). At that time, your team will be able to edit your team’s Project page and submit your project on your team’s Project tab.
Project submission closes on Sunday, October 8 at 11:59 PM local time, in accordance with the time zone of your Team Owner's Local Event.
Exception: If your team is registered for the Universal Event, project submission opens on Saturday, October 7 at 9:00 AM and closes on Sunday, October 8 at 11:59 PM in accordance with the local time of your Team Owner's area of residence.
Check with your Local Lead if you have questions about the deadline for your Local Event’s Local Judging and Local Awards.
All project submission requirements are outlined in the Project Submission Guide. Use this guide to learn how to submit your project during the hackathon.
At a minimum, your project must respond to one of the official 2023 Space Apps Challenge Statements and clearly show how the data resources provided within the challenge were used in your project.
Yes. You are required to cite all sources used in your project including official sources that are listed on your challenge page and any other sources you decide to incorporate. If you are using any copyrighted materials, you must provide documented permission for use of those materials in your project.
Code is not a project submission requirement. The Challenge Statement you choose to work on may influence your decision to write code for your project.
Keep in mind that Space Apps Challenge hackathon projects are required to be open source, which means the original content, including source code and any code your team develops, is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified.
All Space Apps Challenge participants are recognized for the innovative work they’ve accomplished during the two-day hackathon! All participants who are on a registered team that submits a project will receive a certificate recognizing their participation shortly following the hackathon.
Local judging is the first round of judging that is completed. Local judging is led by the Local Lead of your Local Event. Local Leads work with Local Judges to evaluate and determine Global Nominees who will move forward in the Global Judging process.
Local Leads have the option of hosting a pitch, feedback or judging session for their Local Events. These sessions may be used to select local winners.
However, Local Leads and Local Judges do not select teams that proceed to Global Judging (Global Nominees) during their pitch, feedback, or judging sessions. The Global Nominee selection process starts after the hackathon concludes to ensure that all final projects submitted by the official deadline are considered.
For further guidance or clarity, contact your Local Lead. If you have additional questions after that, email [email protected] or connect with a member of the GO Team in Space Apps Connect.
The Global Finalists and Global Finalists Honorable Mentions will be announced in mid-November. We will update the Space Apps community on social media and our website in advance of the announcement. The final Global Winners will be announced at the end of January 2024. Stay tuned!
While the main purpose of the hackathon is to encourage collaboration and cooperation, Space Apps recognizes exceptional projects each year through its Global Awards.
NASA offers 10 Space Apps Global Awards:
Please note that NASA reserves the right to change the Global Award categories at any time.
GLOBAL AWARDS
Winning teams receive an invitation to visit a NASA center or facility for a special Space Apps Winners Trip.
Each winning team member may invite a guest of their choice. The associated Local Lead also receives an invitation and may invite a guest of their choice. Winners Trip invitees and their guests are responsible for arranging and financing their own travel, visas, meals, incidental expenses, and accommodations.
Winners’ and guests’ invitations and access to NASA facilities are subject to NASA security and United States regulatory screening and clearance.
Detailed guidance on the judging and awards process is provided in the Judging & Awards Guide.