NASA’s Inconsistent Support of the International Space Apps Challenge
“Several weeks ago NASA and a number of sponsors held the International Space Apps Challenge. The intent was to enlist people from all across the world to create solutions to problems and issues associated with spaceflight. The participants were truly spread out across our planet including Antarctica with support from the crew aboard the International Space Station. … I think it is inexcusable that NASA has not made more of an effort to promote things such as the International Space Apps Challenge – especially when the White House places such a priority on things like this. There is much risk in this ad hoc and dysfunctional public engagement policy at NASA. Now that the first apps challenge event was such a success, efforts like this could continue – without overt NASA involvement – thus making NASA less – rather than more relevant.”
I have nothing against an academic exercise, but issuing a “challenge” to people to solve a problem in 48 hours for a few thousand dollars doesn’t, in my opinion, have much impact on proving the value of a program spending billions over years with no agreement and little meaningful debate (except in the blogs) on its basic goals and strategies.
You are obviously not a software developer. Also, did you actually read the article? People continued to work on their ideas for days – weeks – after the end of the competition. Many still are still working on these projects as we speak.
That is completely true. C.E.R.E.S. and ExoAPI are both continuing their work.