The NASA Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge: Using Mass Collaboration to Address Pressing Concerns on Earth
Abstract
Known as "the world's largest global hackathon," the NASA International Space Apps Challenge is a yearly mass collaboration event in which teams around the world use NASA's open data to develop innovative solutions to challenges in Earth and space science and technology. From May 30-31, 2020, NASA and partner space agencies ESA, JAXA, CSA, and CNES held a special virtual edition of the hackathon—the Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge— convening over 15,000 participants from 150 countries to address challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agencies issued 12 challenge statements that covered four themes: 1) the virus and its spread, 2) local response/change and solutions, 3) changes in the Earth system/Earth system response, and 4) economic opportunity, impact, and recovery during and following the COVID-19 outbreak. Participants formed over 2,000 virtual teams and discussed technical questions with over 220 subject matter experts (SMEs) from NASA and the partner space agencies using six languages in a chat platform inside the Space Apps website. The SMEs also included other US Government agencies and academics that are affiliated with NASA, and they served as judges for over 1,300 projects that were submitted for global judging. Space Apps maintains a small global infrastructure and relies on the intense commitment of local organizers around the world to develop, fund, and manage their local events, using information and tools that NASA provides. The Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge relied on more than 400 volunteers around the world to execute the all-virtual event. Outcomes include new COVID-19 data and science applications, increased awareness of Earth and space observations, and the creation of new communities of collaboration.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMU012...08H
- Keywords:
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- 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings);
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS