Dhaka: NASA Space Apps Challenge 2016, a Hackathon event that aims at solving global challenges, is going to be held in Bangladesh on 22-24 April.

This year, the event of Bangladesh part will be held in Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi, jointly organised by US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).

Regional winners will get chance to participate in the final part of the competition. The international space apps challenge is a mass collaboration focused on space exploration which takes place globally.

Speaking at a press conference at BASIS auditorium in the capital on Monday, BASIS president Shamim Ahsan said the NASA apps challenge is going to be held in the country for the second time, which will help create some good ideas to resolve scientific and technological solutions.

Bangladeshi scientists will get more opportunity to work with global organisations like NASA through the competition, he added.

Hackathons are technology development marathons that draw on the talents and initiative of bright minded volunteers.  

The Space Apps Challenge 2016 will feature challenges in a variety of themes directly relevant to NASA missions. The categories of the apps competition this year are: Aeronautics, International Space Station, Solar System & Beyond, Technology, Earth and the Journey to Mars.

Engineers, technologists, scientists, designers, artists, students, and entrepreneurs - anyone who has a passion for changing the world and is willing to contribute in developing real solutions to global challenges - can participate in the space apps challenge.  

During the event, participants will divide into teams focused on solving an issued challenge. Any team including at least one participant makes that project eligible for awards.