Developing an app for the ISS’ Synchronized, Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) is one of the tasks in the 2015 International Space Apps Challenge.
Cleveland – NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is preparing to serve as a first-time host site for the International Space Apps Challenge, a global, mass collaboration event that gathers volunteer participants to work on specific NASA challenges.
Challenge participants are asked to develop mobile applications, software, hardware, data visualization, and platform solutions that could contribute to space exploration missions and, ultimately, help improve life on Earth.
Glenn has teamed up with OHTec, formerly NEOSA, in offering this year’s Space Apps Challenge, April 10-12, 2015, to be hosted in Glenn’s new Mission Integration Center. It is one of this year’s exciting Tech Week activities; more than 5,000 participants are expected to attend Tech Week events throughout Northeast Ohio this year.
Space Apps Challenge activities (register here) include a social gathering on Friday, April 10, work time on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, followed by team presentations and awards judging on Sunday.
New this year, Glenn is offering a pair of exciting speakers and a tour of the center’s Graphics and Visualization Lab on Saturday evening. On Friday, Aerospace Engineer Matt Melis will discuss “Scientific Imaging at NASA,” and Research Engineer John Chin will present “An Open Source Model of the Hyperloop Transportation System” on Saturday.
“We are pleased to open our doors and serve as the venue host for the Space Apps Challenge Cleveland site,” said Sean Gallagher, Glenn’s chief information officer. “Teams of tech-savvy citizens in Northeast Ohio are wanted to present their innovative ideas on how NASA may be able to solve specific mission challenges.”
Several dozen challenges represent NASA mission priorities in four areas: Earth studies, space exploration, human health research, and robotics. Many of the challenges are in the Earth theme, supporting NASA’s missions to monitor Earth's vital signs from land, air and space.
The hackathon brings together teams of developers to work on projects over the course of the weekend. Teams work together on-site and can also collaborate with other participants from around the world. There will be local awards/prizes for teams and at least two local teams will be nominated for NASA regional and national awards.
Challenge themes are categorized by outer space, earth, humans, and robotics. The outer space challenge includes developing a deep space camera satellite on a cubesat platform, and from robotics, ZERO GEE Bee drones and sensor data apps for the ISS’ Synchronized, Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES). See the list of Frequently Asked Questions and challenge postings for more details.
Event organizers are partnering with the Great Lakes Science Center and Yuri’s Night, a global party on Saturday, April 11, 2015, to celebrate space flight.
SPECIAL NOTE: Because the 2015 Challenge is being held at NASA Glenn Research Center, the site is open to United States Citizens ONLY.
Sources: NASA, OHTec