Atlântica will bring to life the first NASA Space Apps Challenge Lisbon.

We will proudly host the challenge this year, inviting a new generation of "Space Ambassadors" to participate in this global NASA hackathon.

Are you an adventurer? Ready to search for space solutions? If yes, this is your chance to fight for something bigger!

This is your opportunity to bring your projects to life, embrace the challenge, and make an impact on the world—or even the universe!

Our local judges will evaluate the presentations for the global competition.

We look forward to the innovative and creative ideas participants will bring to the community in 2024!

About Atlântica...

Atlântica, founded in 1996 as an institution of public interest, has established itself as a reference dedicated to the creation, transmission and dissemination of knowledge, science and technology, through the articulation of teaching, research and practical development.

Atlântica’s teaching model stands out for its quality and strong connection with the business world. The curricular offer thus ensures excellent training and significantly increases the employability of our students, differentiating us in the private higher education scenario in Portugal.

Atlântica's wide range of offerings encompasses areas such as Engineering, Business Sciences, Nutrition and Information and Communication Technologies. This diversity reflects our commitment to preparing students for interdisciplinary challenges and to excel in diverse industries.

WELCOME TO NASA SPACE APPS CHALLENGE LISBON 2024

We are proud to introduce you to the first NASA Space Apps Challenge Lisbon. Atlântica will host the challenge this year and invite a new generation of "Space Ambassadors" to the Lisbon edition of the worldwide Space Apps Challenge Hackathon.

For this first edition, we will have in-person and online teams during the event. The edition will include an optional boot camp day on the 4th of October (Friday) and the two days of the Hackathon on the 5th and 6th of October. This is your chance to bring your projects to life, embrace the challenge, and change the world, or we might say, the universe!

We invite students, researchers, professionals, and citizens from all different fields of life to set up their own Space Apps Team or join an existing Team to work on the given challenges to find solutions for global, national, regional, or local problems by using data to code for problem-solving.

FAQs

WHAT IS A HACKATHON?

Traditionally, hackathons are technology development marathons or design sprints that draw on the talents and initiative of bright-minded volunteers—such as software developers, engineers, technologists, scientists, and designers.

NASA Space Apps is focused on developing real solutions to global challenges by the end of the event, which is open to creatives, storytellers, and anyone who wants to positively impact the world.

For each edition, NASA designs challenges, and the Global Organizing Team works with local hosts around the world, called Local Leads, to implement events where teams work intensively to design projects over a two-day period.

WHAT ARE THE SPACE APPS CHALLENGE STEPS?

In general, the event follows these stages:

Registration and Information: Participants sign up and receive the necessary details.
Meeting and Networking: Connect with other participants.
Forming Teams and Starting Work: Teams are formed and begin working on their projects.
Completion of Work and Preparation of Presentations: Finalise projects and prepare presentations.
Presentations to Jury Members: Teams present their solutions to the judges.
Award Ceremony: Announcement of the winners and awarding of prizes.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF NASA'S SPACE APPS CHALLENGE?

Bring together local communities interested in space and science to think about and solve important problems.
Encourage transparent and collaborative work.
Utilise the data that NASA makes publicly available through its work and research.
Bring together interested volunteers and talented people from around the world.
Advance the exploration of space and improve life on Earth.

WHAT KIND OF SOLUTIONS ARE DEVELOPED IN COMPETITIONS?

Although the word "Apps" in the name of the competition first brings to mind recalls software applications, solutions can also be developed in many different formats. The main ones are:

Visualisation of data or scientific principles or simulations
Interactive maps
Vehicles using NASA data sets.
Machine, vehicle, etc. design
Open-source libraries and tools
Games
Modelling for NASA data sets
Patterns discovered in NASA data sets.
Ideas to make life in space easier.
Ideas to increase public knowledge about space exploration.

HOW ARE THE TEAMS FORMED?

Teams are usually formed before the competition, but they can also be formed on the first day of the event, and additional participants can be added to them.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A HACKATHON ALONE?

Although the recommended method is to compete as a team, individuals can work and compete alone.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Everyone can participate in the competition: every skill can be useful while working on a team project, regardless of age or education. Register for Space Apps if you are a space enthusiast, an engineer, or a developer (or becoming one), if you are into communications or marketing—each team must convince the judges that its project is the best one! —or if you are just looking for a chance to test yourself during a very special weekend.

HOW CAN YOU JOIN THE COMPETITION?

Start your registration to the event by signing up on the Space Apps platform: log in with your profile or create a new one—and check your email to activate your account—then select Lisbon as your event location. The location page is the only place where participants can sign up for the local event, and each one has different registration limits, based on the venue capacity.

Register as an individual first, and then you will have the chance to form your team. If you already have one, you can add your teammates to the team. We suggest you create teams with 3 to 5 people, possibly with complementary skills, to work on your project, considering all its different aspects and challenges. If you don't have a team to create or join, don't worry!

What are the Local Awards?

The Local Awards are acknowledgements offered by our local partners and sponsors, decided and assigned by the judge panel during the final judging process at the end. The Local Awards are to be released soon.

What are the Global Awards?

As published by NASA, Global Winners will receive an invitation to the Winners Celebration, including a visit to a NASA Center or Facility for an award presentation. The Winners Celebration will provide participants an exclusive opportunity to engage with NASA leaders, share their Space Apps projects, and learn about exciting scientific developments across NASA.

Join us for an unforgettable weekend of innovation, collaboration, and discovery at the NASA Space Apps Challenge Lisbon 2024!