NASA Space Apps Challenge Hanoi 2026 kicks off in just a few days. To help every team submit on time, in the right format and remain eligible for Hanoi awards and Global Nominee selection, the Local Organizing Committee shares the detailed submission guide below.
NASA Space Apps Challenge Hanoi 2026 takes place on November 14–15, 2026 at Trung Vuong Secondary School (26 Hang Bai, Hanoi) and online via Zoom. All projects must be submitted on NASA’s official platform at www.spaceappschallenge.org. The organizers do not accept submissions by email or Zalo.
1. Key deadlines
All times are Hanoi time (GMT+7).
| Time | What happens |
| 09:00, Sat Nov 14 | NASA opens project submission; the hackathon starts right after the opening ceremony |
| 11:00, Sun Nov 15 | Submission deadline for Hanoi judging |
| 11:00 – 15:00, Nov 15 | Judges evaluate projects according to each team’s schedule |
| 16:30, Nov 15 | Closing and award ceremony |
| 23:59, Nov 15 | NASA global submission deadline; teams may keep improving their project until then |
On the morning of November 15, submit a first version right away, even if it is not finished yet. Until 11:00 you can edit your project as many times as you like: go to your team page → Project tab → Edit → make your changes → click Submit again. Resubmitting does not count as a late or duplicate submission.
Remember to click Submit after every edit so your latest changes are saved. That way, if your connection drops or your laptop fails at the last minute, the judges still have a submitted version to evaluate.
2. How to submit
The Team Owner follows these steps:
- Log in to www.spaceappschallenge.org and open your team page.
- Open the Project tab and click Edit.
- Complete all required fields (see section 3).
- Tick the two confirmation boxes: that you have read the submission guide and agree to the terms of the challenge, and that the project is your team’s original work with every external resource listed under References.
- Click Submit, then check your team page to make sure the project shows as submitted.
Check before the deadline
- Every team member is registered for the Hanoi, Vietnam local event and appears on the Members tab of your team page. New members cannot be added once submission closes.
- Your team has selected one of the 14 official 2026 challenges.
3. What to fill in on the submission form
Everything on the form must be written in English.
| Form field | What to include |
| Project Name | A short, memorable name for your project |
| High-Level Summary | A few sentences on what you built, which problem in the challenge it solves and why it matters |
| Project Demo (link) | A slide deck of up to 7 slides (including the title slide) or a video of up to 30 seconds |
| Final Project (link) | Your actual product: web/app, GitHub repository, design files, story, game, music… |
| Project Details | How the project works, the technology used, its benefits and what your team set out to achieve |
| Use of AI | Which AI tools you used (ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot…) and what for; if none, write “No AI used” |
| NASA Data / Partner Data | Name and link of each NASA or Space Agency Partner dataset used; at least one is required |
| References | Every external resource: open-source libraries, images, music, articles, AI tools |
Language: the submission page and all linked materials must be in English. Your demo video may be narrated in Vietnamese, but it must include English subtitles.
4. Suggested project format
Demo slides (up to 7)
- Project name, team name and selected challenge
- The problem you are solving
- Your solution
- NASA data used and how you processed it
- Demo or results: screenshots, charts, prototype
- Impact and next steps
- Team members and references
Demo video (up to 30 seconds)
Show your product in action and name the NASA data you used. Upload the video to YouTube (set to Unlisted) or Google Drive.
About your links
Every link (Google Drive, YouTube, GitHub…) must be set to “Anyone with the link”. Open each link in a private/incognito window before submitting. If a link does not open, the judges cannot evaluate your work.
5. Presenting to the judges
- Each team has 15 minutes to present and answer questions. Aim to present in about 5–7 minutes to leave time for Q&A.
- Presentation and interview language: Vietnamese or English, at your team’s choice. Your submission on the NASA website must still be in English, as described in section 3.
- The organizers will send each team its judging time before the event.
- Online teams present via Zoom, Meeting ID 940 8456 9142.
- Please be at your judging room or in the Zoom room 10 minutes before your slot.
For more tips on preparing your pitch, read Breakthrough tips for NASA Space Apps Hanoi 2026: valuable advice from the judges.
6. Judging criteria
Projects are evaluated on NASA’s five criteria, each scored from 1 to 10:
| Criterion | What the judges look for |
| Impact | Who the solution helps and to what extent |
| Creativity | Original ideas and a fresh approach |
| Validity | Grounded in science and feasible in the real world |
| Relevance | Directly answers the chosen challenge; NASA data is a core part of the solution |
| Presentation | Clear, with a demo and an engaging story |
7. Rules to keep in mind
- The core of your project must be developed during the two days of the hackathon.
- You may use open-source libraries and AI tools, but you must credit them in your submission. Projects that do not cite their sources fully may lose their nomination or award.
- Do not use copyrighted images, music or code without permission.
- Do not include personal information in your project: dates of birth, home addresses, phone numbers, or photos of participants under 18 without parental consent.
- Submitted projects are published under an open-source license. If your team does not choose one, NASA applies the Apache 2.0 license by default.
8. Certificates and awards
- Every participant who submits on time receives an electronic certificate of participation from NASA and the Hanoi organizers.
- The Hanoi organizers present awards on November 15, including age-group awards (U11, U15, U18), the Girl in Space award, the Hanoi in Space award and other prizes.
- The strongest teams are nominated as Global Nominees for global judging across NASA’s 10 award categories.
Contact and support
- NASA’s official guide: Project Submission Guide
- Hanoi local event page: spaceappschallenge.org/2026/local-events/hanoi
- Facebook: facebook.com/nasaspaceappsvn
- Zalo community group: zalo.me/g/oflcpt118
- Email: nasaspaceapps@sepa.org.vn
- During the event, the Help desk at Trung Vuong Secondary School is ready to assist participants.
We wish every team at NASA Space Apps Challenge Hanoi 2026 an inspiring and creative hackathon!