Featured
You don’t need to code to win at Space Apps
Designers, researchers, writers and organisers belong on Space Apps teams too. Here is where non-coders make a difference, and how to get ready for HackAthlone.
Teams & skills3 min read
Blogs
Notes from
mission control
Guides, stories and honest advice for your first (or fifth) space hackathon. In the five weeks before HackAthlone, a new post lands every Tuesday and Friday.
All posts
First-timersScheduled3 min read
The HackAthlone 2026 packing list
What to bring to HackAthlone on Friday 13 November: laptop, chargers, photo ID, a sleeping bag and the small things people forget, plus travel and parking tips.
ChallengesScheduled3 min read
How judging works: from your pitch in Athlone to global judging
From the Sunday pitch in Athlone to Space Apps global judging and the Global Winners in January 2027: what to submit, when, and how to get ready for the judges.
TechnicalScheduled4 min read
A hackathon tech stack that won’t let you down
One Git repository, free hosting, a shared notebook, quick mock-ups and a backup video: a simple stack for HackAthlone teams, as Space Apps Connect opens today.
First-timersScheduled3 min read
Sleep is part of the plan: surviving the overnight
The Engineering Building stays open all weekend and many people hack through the night. How to nap, time your coffee, eat well and still pitch well on Sunday.
ChallengesScheduled3 min read
Challenge statements land tomorrow: a plan for 28 October
The full Space Apps challenge statements arrive on 28 October. How to read them, check the data, shortlist and plan with your team, all within the rules.
StoriesScheduled4 min read
Inside the 2025 podium: what Athlone’s winning teams built
Cea-SAR, Dilly Dally and Debugonauts took the top three places at HackAthlone 2025. Here is what each team built, which data they used and how it worked.
TechnicalScheduled4 min read
NASA open data for beginners: where to find it and how to start
A beginner’s guide to NASA open data before HackAthlone: Worldview, Earthdata Search, api.nasa.gov, Google Colab and ESA’s Copernicus, and where to begin.
Teams & skillsScheduled4 min read
Building a team that ships by Sunday
Space Apps teams can have 1 to 6 people, and 4 or 5 tends to work best. How to find teammates, split the roles and use Pitch-Fest and Space Apps Connect.
ChallengesScheduled4 min read
How to choose a Space Apps challenge
The 14 Space Apps challenge summaries for 2026 are live. Here is how to pick one that suits your team’s skills, the data you can get and the time you have.
NewsScheduled3 min read
Five weeks to go: what happens before kick-off on 13 November
The Road to HackAthlone starts here: every date between now and 13 November in one place, from registration and teams to challenge statements and kick-off.
First-timers3 min read
Your first space hackathon: what nobody tells you
Honest basics for first-timers at HackAthlone 2026: coming on your own, finding a team, getting unstuck, sleeping, and getting your project in on time.
Registration help1 min read
How to change your registration from minor to adult
Ticked the under-18 box by mistake when you signed up for Space Apps? Follow these six steps to fix your account and register for HackAthlone as an adult.
Registration help1 min read
How to switch your registration to your university email
Registered for HackAthlone with a personal email address and want to use your university one instead? It takes two quick steps in your Space Apps profile.