NASA Space Apps Hanoi 2026
The world’s largest annual hackathon, initiated by NASA. Over two days, you and your team will use open data from NASA and its Space Agency Partners to tackle real challenges on Earth and in space.
About the challenge
What is Space Apps?
NASA Space Apps Challenge takes place simultaneously in hundreds of cities around the world. The challenges are written by scientists and subject matter experts from NASA and its Space Agency Partners. It is open to students, developers, designers, storytellers and anyone who loves science. You don’t need to be a space expert – just bring curiosity and team spirit.
Timeline
Key dates 2026
- September 17, 2026Challenge summaries released; team formation opens
- October 28, 2026Full challenge statements and datasets released
- November 2, 2026Space Apps Connect opens to help you find teammates
- November 13, 2026Project Submission and Judging & Awards guides released
- November 14–15, 2026Hackathon in Hanoi. Project submission deadline: 11:59 p.m. on November 15 (local time)
- December 2026Global Nominees and Global Finalists announced
- January 2027Global Winners announced
Challenges
The 14 challenges of 2026
Short summaries prepared by the Hanoi organizing team from the official challenge summaries. Full challenge statements and datasets are published on October 28 on the Space Apps website. In 2026 there is no “Create Your Own Challenge” option – each team chooses one of the 14 official challenges.
Abandoned but not Forgotten: Storytelling about NASA’s Discarded Equipment on the Moon and Mars
Tell the story of NASA hardware that has completed its mission on the Moon, on Mars and in deep space, for young space enthusiasts.
Be An Earth System Trend Detective!
Find and visualize trends in Earth system variables from NASA data, and decide which changes are significant.
Build a Junior Astronaut Mission Trainer
Design a game or app that lets students run a lunar or Martian outpost, balancing life support, radiation shielding, power and food.
CLPS Lunar Mission Browser
Build an intuitive tool to compare Sun and Earth positions at candidate landing sites near the Moon’s south pole.
Create Health Monitoring Software for Astronauts on Space Missions
Build software that gathers health indicators so astronauts can evaluate and act on their own health during long missions.
Dancing with the SARs
Use radar data from the NASA–ISRO NISAR mission to track and visualize changes on Earth’s surface.
Field Shift: Adapting Farms with NASA Data
A decision-support tool that combines NASA Earth observations with local soil and crop information to explore crop rotation strategies.
Flame in Freefall: AI-Powered Fire Safety Insights from Microgravity Combustion Data
An AI-powered dashboard that summarizes and interprets decades of microgravity combustion research for fire safety.
Harmonization of MODIS and VIIRS Hot Spots
A web app that merges satellite fire hotspot records into a burning-activity calendar for any area.
Identify Earth Locations that Analog the Permanent Moon Base Locations and Mars
Find places on Earth with conditions similar to the Moon or Mars, where teams can test equipment and procedures before flight.
Interplanetary Survival Guide: Martian Map
A layered map that helps the first astronauts on Mars plan safe and productive routes.
Planet X and SPHEREx
A public web tool to display sky images from the SPHEREx mission so anyone can see how the sky changes over time.
Space Mission Design Game
A game to design, manage and simulate a complete space mission while balancing budget, power, mass and orbits.
The Earth Information Jukebox
Turn Earth science visuals into real-time sound so more people can hear our changing planet.
For participants
How to take part
- Create an accountSign up on the Space Apps website and choose the Hanoi Local Event.
- Form or join a teamCreate a team of 1–6 people or request to join a team that is seeking members. All members must be registered for the Hanoi Local Event.
- Pick a challengeChoose the one of the 14 official challenges that excites your team most.
- Hack and submitJoin the hackathon on November 14–15 and submit your project on the Space Apps website before 11:59 p.m. on November 15.
- Do not start working on your project before November 14. Projects started early will be disqualified.
- Participants under 18 must be registered by a parent or legal guardian and accompanied by them throughout the event.
- Participation is completely free. If anyone asks you to pay, please report it to the organizers.
Volunteers & Organizing Team
Help put Hanoi on the Space Apps map
Behind every team that shines is an organizing team and a group of volunteers who quietly keep everything running. We are looking for people like that to join us – working mostly online, from now until the event. You don’t need to be a space expert. Just bring curiosity, a sense of responsibility and a wish to share science with young people.
What you get
- A certificate from the organizing team
- Hands-on experience at an international event
- Connections with mentors, experts and fellow science and tech enthusiasts
Good to know
- Mostly online work via Google Meet, Zalo and Google Drive
- Some roles need to be in Hanoi on November 14–15
- First-round deadline: 11:59 p.m., October 24, 2026, in time for the online orientation on October 25
The registration form is in Vietnamese. International volunteers are very welcome – feel free to answer in English.
Form not showing? Open the registration form in a new tab →
Organizers
Organizer & patron
Official information about the global challenge is published at spaceappschallenge.org. For questions about the Hanoi event, please contact SEPA using the details at the bottom of this page.