NASA’s Space Apps challenge slated in Davao, Iloilo

Davao City and Iloilo City will hold this year's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Apps Challenge, the US Embassy announced on Wednesday.

The event seeks solutions to real-world problems on Earth and in space.

Held simultaneously in different cities around the globe, the challenge will take place on October 18 to 20 wherein its participants will be required to work together to create solutions to issues using NASA's free and open data.

The categories of the challenge will include protecting the Earth's oceans, studying the moon, exploring planets, analyzing stars and beyond, and understanding the world and planet.

For the second time, the challenge will be hosted by the US Embassy in the Philippines in collaboration with the American Corners in Ateneo de Davao University and the Central Philippine University.

Other partners include the Department of Science and Technology (DosT), Amazon Web Services, Cebu Pacific, and the Innovate Iloilo.

The Space Apps Challenge is a NASA-led international hackathon that is already celebrating its 8th year.

Last year's challenge gathered more than 18,000 participants from 75 countries.

It also resulted to the Philippines' first Space Apps Challenge champions called Team iNON.

Team iNON developed a mobile app allowing fishermen to have access to real-time information on weather and sea conditions without the need of phones or internet access.

The team presented their work at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 2019. —NB, GMA News