NASA opens registration for 2024 Space Apps Challenge

NASA has called on innovators, technologists, storytellers and problem solvers worldwide to register for the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge, the largest annual global hackathon. Scheduled for October 5-6, the event promotes innovation through international collaboration, allowing participants to utilise NASA’s open data and space-based data from its space agency partners.

Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said: “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. 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 includes 15 international space agency partners, with two new participants: the Communications, Space & Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia and the Spanish Space Agency. Returning partners include the Australian Space Agency, Brazilian Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Indian Space Research Organisation, 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.

Participants will gather at hundreds of in-person and virtual local events to tackle challenges submitted by NASA experts. These challenges vary in complexity and topic, ranging from creating artistic visualisations of NASA data to developing informational apps and software programmes.

This year’s theme, “The Sun Touches Everything,” invites participants to explore the Sun’s influence on Earth and space science, aligning with NASA’s Heliophysics Division’s Helio Big Year celebration.