NASA wants some new tools to make life in space — and on Earth — better and they need your help! The International Space Apps Challenge is a two-day hackathon (they prefer “codeathon”) happening April 21-22, 2012.
Participants from around the world will work together to create solutions to current challenges that could contribute to space exploration missions and help improve life on earth. Individual contributors will be working remotely (including in space!) and in large gatherings on all seven continents.
Anyone can participate in the International Space Apps Challenge. NASA recognizes that really innovative solutions require individuals with a broad ranges of skills: engineers, technologists, scientists, designers, artists, educators, students, entrepreneurs – anyone who has a passion for changing the world and is willing to contribute.
The challenges are currently organized into four categories (more to be added):
- open source software
- open hardware
- data visualization
- citizen science platforms.
Large events are currently planned to be held in San Francisco; Tokyo; Melbourne and Canberra; Jakarta; Exeter and Oxford; Nairobi; Sao Paulo; Santo Domingo; and at the McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
Can’t make it to one of those? No problem! Register to contribute remotely and participate from home. Better yet: grab some friends and hold a Space Apps meetup of your own!
Registration is now open at SpaceAppsChallenge.org
Image source: screenshot of the interactive International Space Apps Challenge homepage (NASA)
