SpaceHack: Space Data Challenge - Official Rules

1. Dates:
  • Registration Opens: Dec 15th, 2024
  • Hackathon Start: March 1st 2025
  • Submission Deadline: May 1st, 2025
  • Judging Period: March 1st 2025 - May 10th 2025
  • Winners Announced: May 11th 2025
2. Eligibility:
  • Age Requirement: Open to high school students aged 13-18.
  • Team Size: Individuals or teams of 2-4 participants.
  • Location: Open to participants in the US only (virtual hackathon).
    Submissions from outside US will be disqualified. 
  • Skill Level: Beginners and experienced coders are welcome.

Disqualifications:

  • Plagiarism or submission of pre-existing projects will result in immediate disqualification.
  • Use of copyrighted material without proper attribution is prohibited.
  • Submissions from outside US will be disqualified. 
3. Project and Submission Requirements:

What to Build:

  • A software project aligned with one of the following tracks:
    1. Orbital Navigation & Flight Path Optimization
    2. Mission Command & Control Systems
    3. Interplanetary Communications & Signal Routing
    4. Space Exploration Visualizer

What to Submit:

  • Project Title and Description: A summary of your project, including how it works, its key features, and its real-world impact.
  • Demo Video: A 2-5 minute project walkthrough showcasing the project’s functionality.
  • Code Repository: A link to a public GitHub repository with well-documented source code.
  • Team Info: Roles of all team members.
  • Supporting Materials: Presentation slides, visuals, and any relevant datasets (optional).
4. Prizes:

Top Awards:

  • 1st Place: $200 Amazon Gift Card + Certificate 
  • 2nd Place: $100 Amazon Gift Card + Certificate
  • 3rd Place: $50 Amazon Gift Card + Certificate

Special Awards:

  • Mission Architect Award: Best technical implementation. ($50 Amazon Gift Card)
  • Data Voyager Award: Best data-driven project. ($50 Amazon Gift Card)
  • Cosmic Communicator Award: Best storytelling/presentation. ($50 Amazon Gift Card)

Note: Amazon Gift Cards issued in the US will be emailed to winners email within a week. 

5. Judging Criteria and Winner Selection:
Criteria Weight (%) Evaluation Details
Technical Implementation 30% How well the project is built and functions.
Creativity & Innovation 25% Uniqueness and originality of the project.
Relevance to Theme 25% How closely the project aligns with the tracks.
Presentation & Demo 20% Clarity and quality of the demo and pitch.

Judging Process:

  • Projects will be evaluated by our in-house panel of judges.