The Gold Coast Innovation Hub is bringing the 2026 NASA Space Apps Challenge to the Podfire by Media8 Studios in Burleigh Heads on 14–15 November.
As Queensland’s only host location for this year’s NASA Space Apps Challenge, the free two-day hackathon will give up to 40 people the opportunity to take part in person, with livestream access for groups joining from elsewhere in the state.
Participants will work in teams to develop a project responding to a challenge written by NASA subject matter experts, using freely available data from NASA and its space agency partners.
Under this year’s theme, "The Next Frontier", they’ll join a global event that attracted more than 114,000 participants across 167 countries and territories in 2025.
The organisers are particularly keen to hear from people aged 18 and over who want to build and demonstrate their creative problem-solving skills.
Interests in environmental science, weather or game development are just as welcome as experience in engineering, AI or data analysis.
Participants can arrive with a team or come individually and receive help finding one.
“The Gold Coast has a space technology community that deserves more attention, from companies like Gilmour Space to emerging businesses like Orbit2Orbit,” said Sharon Hunneybell, founder of the Gold Coast Innovation Hub.
“We want to give ordinary, brilliant people their chance to become a part of that story. There could be someone studying or building software here today whose idea helps solve a problem that scientists and engineers around the world are currently working on.
“You don’t need to arrive with all the answers. Just bring your curiosity and enthusiasm. We want participants to leave with something they’re proud to show, and the confidence to keep developing their ideas.”
Projects will be judged locally, with two selected to progress to global judging. The weekend also offers participants an opportunity to meet people with complementary skills and put their own expertise to work on a shared challenge.
Alongside participants, the Gold Coast Innovation Hub is seeking mentors who can help teams develop their ideas and work through problems during the event. Mentors can choose their level of involvement, with organisers asking them to commit to at least one two-hour block on either day to help plan coverage.
“There’s a lot of experience in our local community that could make a real difference to a team over a weekend,” said Joshua Smith, program manager at the Hub.
“Even a couple of hours spent helping someone work through a difficult problem could give them the breakthrough they need. We’d love to hear from people who can share that experience.”
Podfire by Media8 is providing the venue and livestream. While the event will centre on the Gold Coast, groups elsewhere in Queensland can organise their own local gathering and participate remotely.
The event begins at 8am on Saturday, 14 November and concludes at 5pm on Sunday, 15 November at Podfire Media8 Studios, 86 Township Drive, Burleigh Heads.
Registration is free through the NASA Space Apps Gold Coast event page. Participants should create or log in to a NASA Space Apps account, register for the 2026 challenge and select Gold Coast as their local event. Student groups under 18 are welcome, with each participant requiring parental or guardian consent and supervision throughout.
Prospective mentors and groups interested in joining remotely should contact [email protected].
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