Nasa Space Apps Challenge returns to Exeter

The Met Office will play its part in the world’s largest hackathon when it hosts NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge once again.  

Up to 150 participants will gather for the two-day event at the Met Office headquarters in Exeter to take on challenges set by NASA on the theme of ‘the Sun touches everything’.   

The Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence (JCEEI), which is a partnership between the Met Office and the University of Exeter, and TechExeter are running the annual event, being held at the Met Office for the 11^th time.   

The Transatlantic Data Science Academy and Amazon Web Services are providing additional sponsorship.  

Registration is open now, with people of all ages, skill levels and backgrounds welcome to attend. Attendees may include tech enthusiasts, college and university students, business professionals, artists and creative thinkers.   

Teams will use diverse skills to take-on the challenges on topics ranging from storytelling to software development, astrophysics, space exploration and more.  

Attendees will be able to connect with fellow participants, learn new programs, gain knowledge, and explore innovative approaches to new and existing problems using NASA’s data.   

The Met Office event is free to attend, and participants will be given free meals, snacks and drinks throughout the weekend. Free childcare is also available on-site for those who want to attend with young children.   

At the end of the weekend, a panel of judges will choose their winners to be put forward for the global prize.   

Kris Sum, TechExeter community leader, said: “Space Apps is perfect for anyone with a curious mind who wants to take on innovative challenges.  

“Don’t let the ‘apps’ part put you off coming. It’s all about meeting new people and trying to solve some of the world’s biggest problems together. The best teams are often the most diverse teams in terms of age, skills and experience.  

“Last year we had poets, film makers, teachers, students, and more working together.  We’ve seen people make video games, space suits, mars habitats, phone apps, movies and songs. And some teams have made great projects entirely from cardboard!” 

Dr Rachel McInnes, the JCEEI’s Co-Director from the Met Office, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting the Space Apps challenge again, and playing our part in the largest hackathon on Earth. This is about bringing exciting science into the community and opening our doors to a wide range of people. 

“Space Apps is for anyone with a curious and creative mind who fancies taking on NASA’s innovative challenges. We’re hoping to get a diverse range of people who solve problems in different ways. 

“I’m so proud we’re offering free childcare by popular demand to make this free event as inclusive as possible.”  

Prof Hywel Williams, JCEEI Co-Director from the University of Exeter, said: “Space Apps will allow teams to explore some fascinating topics together, and I’m sure will be a lot of fun for everyone involved. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the community to get close to the exciting science being developed at NASA, the Met Office and the University of Exeter.” 

Despite being known for its weather and climate services on Earth, the Met Office has its own Space Weather Operations Centre, which is one of a handful of 24/7 space weather forecasting centres in the world. The Space weather centre monitors the Sun’s activity for the safety of satellites, astronauts and people on Earth.   

The NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2023 welcomed a record 57,999 registered participants at 402 local events in 152 countries.  

You can register now for the event taking place at the Met Office in Exeter on 5-6 October. Registration closes on Monday 23 September.