NASA hackathon comes to Folsom on Oct. 4-5

The NASA International Space Apps Challenge Hackathon will bring together scientists, coders, designers and innovators at Folsom Lake College on Oct. 4-5 to tackle 18 challenges designed by NASA experts, ranging from creating children's stories about space weather to using artificial intelligence to analyze data searching for habitable planets. The free global event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at 10 College Parkway, with teams forming before or during the hackathon to develop solutions using NASA's open data. Participants will have access to Folsom Lake College's new Oak Hall science building and Innovation Center makerspace, which features 3D printers, sewing machines and a music recording studio. Teams will present their projects to judges representing local business leaders, aerospace experts, educators and investors, with the event concluding Sunday with team presentations. The 2024 Space Apps Challenge drew more than 93,500 participants across 163 countries, making it one of the world's largest hackathons. Registration is required at spaceappschallenge.org/2025/local-events/folsom, with sponsors including Folsom Lake College, the Aerospace Museum of California and several local technology companies.