This year the event will take place virtually thus giving the opportunity for anyone to connect with people from different backgrounds and talents to solve the challenges. For the first time Latvia will take participation in this event. In Latvia the hackathon will be organised by Ventspils City Council within the framework of the ERAF initiative "Urban Innovative Actions" project "Next Generation Micro Cities of Europe", No. UIA03-250.                       

Space Apps, which started in 2012, has now become the largest global hackathon. While NASA provides awards to the top projects, Space Apps is all about collaboration! 

The mission is focused on the following objectives:   

● to inspire collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, 

● to foster interest in Earth and Space science and exploration,

● to raise awareness of NASA data around the world,

● to encourage growth and diversity of the next generation of scientists, technologists, designers, engineers, artists, etc. 

This year’s challenges:   

Observe: challenges in this category will ask you to devise tools that make observation data more accessible for use by scientists, decision-makers, and the public. 

Inform: come up with effective ways for engaging others about scientific and historical information.           

Sustain: what actions can we take to sustain our home planet, so that it is livable for future generations? And how can we sustain human life in the harsh conditions of space?                 

Create: whether it’s artwork, hardware, or a new technology, challenges in this category will ask you to imagine, build, and create awareness. 

Confront: pick a challenge in this category to tackle a variety of issues at local, national, and/or global levels. How can technology serve as a tool for change?     

Connect: challenges in this category will ask you to examine methods for communicating with one another, and to analyze the complex networks of people and ideas that contribute to space agency missions on Earth and in space.   

The event is organised by NASA Space Apps Challenge in collaboration with local organizers Ventspils City Council, Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre, Accenture, Business Academy students, as well as partners TechGirls, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Emergn, TestDevLab, Basaful which will ensure information spread to a wider audience, provide with mentors, technology solutions, services and special awards. 

Find out more about the even and register - here!