About the challenge

Mission Briefing

Greetings, Data Explorer. You have been granted top-level clearance to the newly declassified Galactic Archives. Your mission, assigned by Stellar Command, is to venture into this vast cosmic data. Analyze, visualize, and build groundbreaking applications from these data streams. The fate of future exploration is in your hands. Good luck.

As this is a 5 day timed Hackathon, all details of the hackathon will be released on Day 1. But If you would like to prepare for the hackathon, our advice to look into API development and intergrations. 

Get started

The "Hacking" will take place between  26th and 30th January 2026. Therefore, the hackathon tasks will be released on the first day. 

• Innovation & Creativity
  Judges look for originality. Is your idea new, clever, or surprising? Does it solve a problem in a unique way or use the archives' data for a novel purpose (e.g., art, games, new insights)? This is the "wow" factor of your concept.
• Technical Implementation & Complexity
  Judges assess how it was built. Is the demo functional and polished, or buggy? Did the team tackle a difficult challenge, like complex algorithms, advanced integrations, or handling massive data effectively? Quality of execution matters.
• Use of Galactic Archives API
  How essential is the API to your project's core function? A project that couldn't exist without the API scores highly. Judges check the depth of use (e.g., advanced queries, multiple endpoints) vs. just tacking it on as a minor feature.
• Presentation & Demo Quality
  Can you clearly communicate your project's value? This covers the clarity of your explanation (problem, solution, impact) and, most importantly, a smooth, functional live demo.
• Overall Impact & Potential
  This is the "so what?" factor. Does your project solve a real-world problem or create a valuable new service? Does it have long-term potential to grow into a real product, reach a large audience, or have a significant, lasting impact?