NASA lands at 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, at the weekend.
More than 200 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 450+ NASA Space App Challenge events that took place at the same time across the globe.
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 previous participation records, cementing its status as Ireland’s premier space and science hackathon. The atmosphere in the Engineering Building was filled with intense collaboration, problem-solving, and creative energy from Friday evening to Sunday night.
Sahir Sharma, NASA’s global location lead for Athlone, 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 thrilled by the passion and ingenuity demonstrated at the weekend – to have more than 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 has been associated with the initiative since 2016, including a first-place win in Bengaluru and organising events across India and Ireland.
Participants had every resource they needed to succeed, including 24/7 access to the hack-shop, 3D printing labs, and game-dev facilities, along with a supply of meals and refreshments. Industry experts, lecturers, and start-up professionals provided crucial mentorship and served as judges, connecting the participants directly with real-world expertise.
Winning Team
The top prize, a share of the €8,000+ total prize pool, and the prestigious nomination for the global NASA judging stage went to: Team CeaSAR, whose project was ‘Shannon – Pulse’, which uses radar data from the Sentinel-1 satellite to map and predict flooding along the River Shannon.
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.