Two Dublin Teams Advance to NASA Space Apps Challenge Finals

URGENT UPDATE: Two innovative teams from Dublin have just been selected to advance to the finals of the NASA Space Apps Challenge, a prestigious global competition. The announcement was made today, November 20, 2025, at the National College of Ireland (NCI) in Dublin, where the Lord Mayor, Cllr Ray McAdam, presented the teams with trophies and prizes.

The first team, Team Outer Wilds Ventures, has gained recognition for their groundbreaking project, Embiggen Your Eyes!/Zoomers. This innovative web platform transforms massive astronomical datasets into accessible visual maps, allowing users to explore high-resolution images captured by NASA missions. The platform addresses the challenge of scattered data, enabling users to seamlessly zoom in and identify features in real-time.

The second team, Team KARLVerse, has developed HabitatForge, an AI-driven design platform that revolutionizes the creation of safe and efficient space habitats for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and Gateway. By integrating NASA’s stringent safety standards with cutting-edge technology, HabitatForge automatically generates compliant layouts and offers real-time validation, enhancing the planning process for space engineers.

“It’s always inspiring to see the creativity and ambition of our students and participants at NASA Space Apps Dublin,” said Prof Paul Stynes, Dean of NCI’s School of Computing. “This year’s projects showed exceptional innovation and teamwork, with ideas that reach far beyond the weekend itself.”

Competition at this year’s event was fierce, with a full house at the Dublin Mission Control. Among the participants were under-18s supported by NCI’s Early Learning Initiative, showcasing the event’s commitment to nurturing young talent. Notably, Team DeepEnd from Cross & Passion College in Kilcullen won the Community Choice Award and the ESA Rising Stars prize for their project, Astro Defenders. This educational game allows children aged eight to twelve to engage with real NASA asteroid data, blending science and fun.

Paola Vercesi, local lead for NASA Space Apps Dublin, stated, “The advancing projects stood out for ingenuity, clarity, and collaborative spirit… Space Apps Dublin has once again confirmed itself as a moment of connection and curiosity.”

Both teams will now prepare for the global judging phase, with winners set to be announced on December 18, 2025. The excitement is palpable as these teams represent the innovative spirit of Dublin on an international stage.

Stay tuned for more updates as these remarkable projects progress towards the finals, demonstrating how creativity and technology can drive real-world impact in space exploration.