NASA Space Apps Challenge returning to Albuquerque

Students, community members, and professionals are invited to register for the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, happening for the second time in Albuquerque. The event takes place Oct. 4-5 at Q Station, located at 3225 Central Ave., a venue usually reserved for aerospace professionals.

Using NASA data, participants will create an app, tool, game, song or dance to solve one of 18 global challenges. This year's topics include addressing low-Earth orbit commercialization, building dashboards for bioscience, creating games for sustainable agriculture and more.

"On October 4th & 5th, teams around the world have 48 hours to solve 1 out of 18 challenges," said University of New Mexico alumna Raven Otero-Symphony, who is the local lead of Albuquerque for the NASA International Space Apps Challenge. "These challenges are real-world problems written by NASA scientists and vary in difficulty level to ensure everyone can contribute. Last year was the first time Albuquerque was a host city.

"Our local winners tackled wildfires, an issue that deeply affects our New Mexican communities. This year, there are new challenges in agriculture, air pollution, city planning, and more that we believe New Mexicans are in a unique position to solve."

This event is free and open to everyone, all ages and skill levels. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied and registered by an adult. Cash prizes will be given to the top three winners, with the first-place winner being nominated for a chance to be a global winner.

"The United States doesn't make the top five countries when it comes to Global Winners," says Otero-Symphony." This year, we want the first New Mexican team to win a trip to NASA headquarters and have their ideas recognized in Washington D.C. Even if one of our teams isn't selected by the international board, we've sweetened the deal with cash prizes and interactive moments for everyone to enjoy in October."

Teams are not required but recommended. Those who would like a team but do not have one can talk to the Space Apps #505 Astronauts at the event. It is encouraged for teams to be comprised of four to five people with backgrounds varying from technology, business, creative, and storytelling. All fields and specialists are welcome.

"Challenges on Earth and in space affect all of us," says Otero-Symphony. The saying goes: "At Space Apps, there's always room for one more." That's the goal of Space Apps: no matter your background, your ideas count!

Participants are required to bring a laptop and charger and are encouraged to bring materials relevant to their selected challenge, as well as lunch or money if they choose to eat outside of Q Station.

In 2024, there were more than 93,000 participants in 163 countries. This event is sponsored locally by the City of Albuquerque Economic Development, Ezee Fiber, Julie Cluster with Sommers Realty and more. It's supported worldwide by NASA and over 15 Space Agency Partners.

"This is very significant for Albuquerque. The NASA International Space Apps Challenge isn't just a hackathon, it's a global movement of problem-solvers, artists, and entrepreneurs coming together to help our world," says Otero-Symphony. "Albuquerque is making strides in space exploration, quantum, and R&D, but how much of that is rooted in community for the everyday person? When we talk about these things, who feels like they "belong" in the room? Who are we leaving out?"

Click here to register and for more information. For additional questions, contact Raven at [email protected].