NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 - Local Ottawa Event

This year marks our decade hosting in Ottawa - join in the fun!

Last year, for first time anywhere, the Ottawa organizers partnered with the Carleton University Planetary Robotics, CUonOrbit, and Astronomy clubs to offer a "Space Hardware Challenge"! This was in honour of the Artemis Missions which returned to the moon and contained significant Canadian participation including from our astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen.

We have announced this year's special Ottawa Hardware Challenge: "Space Rover Origami"

Rovers landing on other planets and moons have to travel in small configurations to fit the landers that they are taken on. However, once landed, they need to be able to recharge their batteries through solar panels. Therefore, those panels need to be deployed after landing. The larger the solar panel, the faster the recharge! Your challenge is to make a small rover (rover “chassis” will be provided) and the solar panels that will need to be deployed on it.

Final designs will be judged on ability to leave the lander, initial solar panel deployment area, and final exposed solar panel area. Pressure sensors, IR sensors, servos and small dc motors, and all building materials will be provided, as well as arduinos and motorshields.

You do not have to be a current or former student of Carleton to participate in this or any other hackathon weekend challenge. However in order to participate in the Space Hardware challenge you and your team members must be physically present and participating during the event weekend (there is no virtual participation for this particular challenge).

NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 will be another intense 48-hour weekend hackathon for developers, designers, engineers, entrepreneurs, astronomers and enthusiasts. Form and build products and prototypes against NASA- and CSA-designed challenges that leverage spacecraft, celestial & science data.

This year marks 10 years of NASA Space Apps Challenge hackathon-ing in Ottawa, and we return to Carleton University! This year you can attend physically at the Technology Innovation Management Program facilities located at 5063 Nicol Building on campus. We'll also allow virtual participation as you prefer.

For more information about our Ottawa event visit our website, or learn more on the global event website.

Info: 7:00 PM - 11:59 PM FRIDAY - Friday night's schedule is still being determined. We will explain how the software and hardware challenges work, answer your questions, and help you find a team, team members, or pick a challenge. Note that hacking cannot start before Saturday)

Info: If you're virtual, you can work online and use our Ottawa Discord server (you will receive an invitation in your email). If you're participating onsite, join us at the Nicol Building Room 4010 on the 4th floor between the hours of 8 am and until 11 pm.

Info: (Optional) Presentation Feedback for on-site participants ONLY, we will not provide feedback on virtual presentations.

Info: If you're virtual, you can work online and use our Ottawa Discord server (you will receive an invitation in your email). If you're participating onsite, join us at the Nicol Building Room 4010 on the 4th floor between the hours of 8 am and until 11 pm.

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Sprott School of Business, Nicol Building, Sprott School of Business, Nicol Building, Ottawa, Canada

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