App Development Challenge 2nd Live Virtual Connection | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA is inviting middle and high school students to participate in an app development challenge, where they will create a visualization of the moon's surface and develop a pathfinding system to keep astronauts in constant communication and plot safe exploration paths.

Key Insights

• 😀 Unity and Unreal game engines are recommended for creating the app in the challenge, with Unity being easier for beginners and Unreal providing more advanced graphics capabilities.
• 😤 Teams can choose between visualizing the data using a 3D mesh or a height map, depending on their preference and the level of detail required.
• ❓ Python can be used with Blender to create a 3D mesh for visualization in Unreal Engine.
• 🎮 Collaboration in Unreal Engine can be achieved through version control software like Perforce and Github.

Transcript

ignition sequence star the breathtaking the groundbreaking one have left a mark in the heavens our successes build one upon another and amplify what is possible it's time we take the next great leap we're building the next chapter of american exploration returning to the moon to stay so we can go beyond to mars to expand what's possible and further... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Can teams consist of both middle and high school students?

No, teams must be either middle school or high school teams, not a mix of both.

Q: What is the deadline for registration?

The registration deadline is October 28th, but there is still time to register if you haven't done so yet.

Q: What if our team doesn't have previous coding experience?

It's okay if your team doesn't have coding experience. There are resources available, such as community mentors and NASA mentors, who can provide guidance and support throughout the challenge.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of students on a team?

There is no maximum number of students on a team, but a minimum of five students is required to form a team.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The challenge is a coding competition where students create a visualization of the moon's south pole region and develop a pathfinding system for communication and navigation checkpoints.

• Teams have seven weeks to complete the challenge, with video submissions due on November 18th.

• Students can use game engines like Unity or Unreal to create their app, and data can be visualized using 3D mesh or height maps.