NASA International Space Apps Challenge now open for registration

MANILA, Philippines – The NASA International Space Apps Challenge is now open for registration, calling out to coders, scientists, designers, and builders around the world to use NASA data to address problems on Earth and in space. 

The worldwide hackathon is now on its 8th year, with last year’s version boasting 18,000 participants across 75 countries. The Philippine competition is currently on its 4th year. It takes place over a 48-hour period in participating countries between October 18 and October 20, 2019. 

In the 2018 competition, a Filipino team was among the winners, with an app that sought to utilize scientific data to benefit fishermen even without an internet connection. The app is currently being incubated at Animo Labs, an incubator by the De La Salle University in partnership with the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development. 

“Space Apps introduces problem solvers worldwide to NASA’s free and open data. NASA missions to earth, our sun and solar system, and out into the universe – all gather data in pursuit of new knowledge, to expand our understanding through new scientific discoveries, and to help us to improve life on Earth. By using NASA data to solve each year’s challenges, Space Apps teams learn about NASA’s data, and share in the creation and application of the knowledge that results,” says the official website. 

Interested individuals need to form a team with 2 to 5 members, must be at least 16 years old, with at least one Filipino member. 

To register, follow this link: spaceapps.splashthat.com. The deadline of registration is on Monday, October 7, 2019. – Rappler.com