Two Dublin Teams Shine in Nasa Space Apps Challenge Finals

Two teams from Dublin have advanced to the finals of the prestigious Nasa Space Apps Challenge, showcasing their innovative projects aimed at transforming space data and habitat design. The announcement was made on November 20, 2025, at NCI Dublin, where the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Ray McAdam, presented the teams with trophies sponsored by InnaLabs, alongside goodie bags from the European Space Agency (ESA) and Code Week Europe.

Innovative Solutions for Space Exploration

The first team, Team Outer Wilds Ventures, earned accolades for their project titled Embiggen Your Eyes!/Zoomers. This initiative aims to visualise vast astronomical datasets, addressing a significant challenge in space exploration. Nasa captures high-resolution images of celestial bodies daily, yet much of this data remains fragmented and underutilised. The team developed a web platform that converts these extensive datasets into user-friendly maps. Their tile-based system loads gigabyte-scale images in real time, allowing users to zoom in, compare datasets side-by-side, and identify anomalies directly on the map.

Joining them in the finals, Team KARLVerse presented HabitatForge, an AI-driven platform designed to revolutionise the creation of space habitats for future missions to Mars, the Moon, and the Gateway project. By integrating Nasa’s stringent safety standards with advanced artificial intelligence, the platform automatically generates compliant habitat layouts. It also provides real-time validation of constraints and offers 3D visualisations, making it a powerful tool for engineers and mission planners.

Acknowledging Young Innovators

During the event, Prof Paul Stynes, Dean of NCI’s School of Computing, expressed pride in the participants’ creativity and teamwork. “This year’s projects showed exceptional innovation and teamwork, with ideas that reach far beyond the weekend itself,” he noted. The success of the teams reflects the collaborative spirit fostered at the event, which attracted participants from diverse backgrounds, including a group of under-18s supported by educators from NCI’s Early Learning Initiative and dedicated STEM mentors.

Among the young innovators, Team DeepEnd from Cross & Passion College in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare, earned the Community Choice Award and an ESA Rising Stars prize for the best under-18 participants. The team, consisting of Archer Davis, Meryem Atasever, and Runé Swart, developed an educational game named Astro Defenders. This game makes real Nasa asteroid data accessible and engaging for children aged eight to twelve, allowing players to collect meteors and explore fun facts about asteroids while earning points and power-ups.

Paola Vercesi, local lead for NASA Space Apps Dublin, highlighted the ingenuity and collaborative spirit displayed throughout the competition. “Space Apps Dublin has once again confirmed itself as a moment of connection, curiosity, and outreach, where space becomes tangible through the passion of our challengers and the dedication of our organising team,” she stated.

Both teams will now progress to the global judging phase of the Nasa Space Apps Challenge, with winners to be announced on December 18, 2025. The event not only showcases technological innovation but also fosters community engagement and the next generation of space enthusiasts.