NASA lands in Athlone!
TUS hosts space innovation 'hackathon' event
The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) Athlone campus hosted Ireland’s largest 'hackathon' - the NASA Space Apps Challenge - from October 3 to 5.
More than 200 highly competitive innovators from across Ireland - including teams from Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, and University of Limerick - converged on the campus for the non-stop 48-hour "marathon of hacking” problems.
The event was one of more than 450 NASA Space App Challenge events that took place, at the same time, across the globe.
The hackathon saw coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, and space enthusiasts set up camp at the TUS engineering building to use NASA’s open data to develop innovative solutions for challenges facing Earth and space.
The third annual HackAthlone event broke all previous participation records, cementing its status as Ireland’s premier space and science hackathon. The atmosphere in the Engineering Building was electric, filled with intense collaboration, problem-solving, and creative energy from Friday evening until Sunday night.
NASA’s Global Location Lead for Athlone Samir Sharma, who is also a PhD researcher at TUS, Sahir Sharma said: "The goal of HackAthlone has always been to fuel a vibrant Irish hackathon movement, inspiring participants with the potential of intense, collaborative problem-solving.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the passion and ingenuity demonstrated this weekend. To have over 200 participants camping out and working on complex problems is a clear indication that the Irish hackathon movement is thriving. This event is not just about competition; it's about building a national community of problem-solvers who are ready to 'Learn, Launch, and Lead' the future of technology.”
Mr Sharma brings a wealth of experience, having been associated with the initiative since 2016, including a first-place win in Bengaluru and organising events across India and Ireland.
The top prize, a share of the €8,000-plus total prize pool, and the prestigious nomination for the global NASA judging stage went to Team CeaSAR for its project Shannon - Pulse. The Shannon Pulse uses radar data from the Sentinel-1 satellite to map and predict flooding along the River Shannon.
The team consists of Adetunji Joseph Ayoade - Project Lead, Nkem Mogbo, Oleh Dorofieiev, Ebube Ebokosia, Miriam Mohammed and Nandini Sharma.
Built on Google Earth Engine, the project transforms years of radar imagery into real-time insights for flood forecasting and climate resilience - revealing the river’s hidden rhythm even through clouds and darkness. Projects from four teams out of 40 will now be submitted to NASA’s global judging, where they will compete for a fully-funded trip to the NASA centre to see a rocket launch.