in-cyprus 25 September 2020 - by Andreas Nicolaides
The prestigious NASA Space Apps Challenge will be held in Limassol again this year, albeit virtually due to coronavirus restrictions.
The challenge will take place from Friday October 2 to Sunday October 4, a simultaneous event held in more than 200 cities around the world, Executive Secretary of the Rotary Club of Limassol Berengaria Cosmopolitan Nigel Howarth, one of the event sponsors said. “A few teams have signed up already and it is a great event but they won’t all get a chance to chat face to face and discuss matters this year,” he said.
Since its inception in 2012, NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge has become the world’s largest global hackathon that engages thousands of people from around the world to use NASA’s open data to build innovative solutions to challenges faced on Earth and in space. It aims to inspire local communities to come together, think intensely and create solutions to important problems.
Teams from Cyprus have won two first international prizes as well as a second international prize during the last seven years, Howarth said. Both winning teams were invited to the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral by NASA. Participants must be over the age of 16.
This year’s theme is Take Action, a reminder that people can make a difference and be a part of the solution to the world’s challenges, and there are seven challenge categories on issues affecting Earth and space. Interested parties must register now and pick a project. Participants form a group but register individually.
“We encourage people to invite friends to sign up. Typical Space Apps teams have two to six participants (the limit is six members per team). Space Apps is all about collaboration and the most successful teams are often ones with a diverse set of skills and expertise, coding, storytelling, creativity, data, science, engineering, technology and more,” the website notes. Spaces and resources will be available at the IMS School in Limassol should teams want to meet in person, but support will be given to everyone virtually.
Two teams will be chosen to compete for the Global awards given by NASA. Global winners will be featured on NASA’s Space Apps website and invited to visit NASA in the USA. Awards will also be given at the Limassol event and each participant will be provided with a certificate.
To take part in the event, register at https://2020.spaceappschallenge.org/locations/limassol/
