The United States Embassy in the Philippines, in partnership with Ateneo de Davao University and Central Philippine University, hosted the 2019 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Apps Challenge in Davao and Iloilo earlier this month.
Fourteen teams from Davao and ten teams from Iloilo participated in the three-day program, which included a one-day “data boot camp,” followed by a two-day hackathon. On the final day, teams pitched their solutions to one of five NASA-identified challenge categories. Partners in both cities included the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Cebu Pacific, Amazon Web Services, and the U.S. Government Alumni Association. In Iloilo, the program was incorporated into the “Innovate Iloilo” event, an initiative of DOST, the provincial and city government of Iloilo, and other private partners to promote innovation.
Representing Davao are Teams Ad Ultra and Rocketdyne Dynamo. Team Ad Ultra developed an app that lets users book virtual tours of the “Trans-Neptunian Spaceway.” Ad Ultra team member, Bruxelles Romuar, explained this will be, “a platform where anyone could learn about space, in a way that is fun, accessible, and up-to-date.” Rocketdyne Dynamo presented a design for electromagnetic gloves that can reduce the dangerous effects of lunar dust. (usaid)
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