The NASA International Space Apps Challenge is the largest annual global hackathon. This two-day event creates innovation through international collaboration by providing an opportunity for participants to utilize NASA’s free and open data and its Space Agency Partners’ space-based data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space.
During the hackathon, NASA Space Apps Challenge participants around the world gather at hundreds of in-person and virtual Local Events to address challenges submitted by NASA Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). 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. After the hackathon, project submissions are judged by space agency experts and winners are selected for one of 10 Global Awards.
The NASA Space Apps Challenge inspires collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Participants have gone on to form companies inspired by their projects, develop professional careers via employment opportunities or skill development, and network with like-minded individuals in their local community and around the world.
Location(s)
- Universal Event is held virtually
- Local Events are held around the world. Click here to find a location near you.
Schedule
- 2025 dates TBA
Cost/Compensation
- Free
Eligibility Requirements
- All ages, skill levels, and professional backgrounds are invited to participate in the NASA Space Apps Challenge
- 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.
Deadline
- 2025 dates TBA
Application or Entry Requirements
- Complete the online registration form.
- Register for a Local Event or the Universal Event.
- Use Chat Channels to find or form a team in the same community or time zone.
Notifications of Decisions
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
Have other questions?
NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is a U.S. government aerospace research and development agency responsible for the country's civilian space program. Founded in 1958 by the Eisenhower Administration during the early days of the Cold War, NASA has been at the forefront of numerous groundbreaking discoveries and space missions in the decades since. NASA is most known for its 1969 Apollo 11 manned moon landing, witnessed on television by over 500 million people around the world. In 2021 NASA landed the Mars Perseverance Rover on the surface of Mars and is currently conducting research within the Artemis Program that aims to send humans back to the moon. NASA continues to study the Earth and its climate, the Sun, and our solar system. Its 20 research centers and facilities across the United States, including the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Johnson Space Center in Texas, NASA employs nearly 18,000 people.
