Every year the European Space Agency, with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, sponsor a challenge for young people to write a short python programme to be run on the International Space Station (ISS).
Two specially hardened Raspberry Pi’s have been flown up to the ISS and are in orbit around the planet. The code that young people write is checked to make sure it runs, lasts for less than 30 seconds, and makes use of the various sensors on the Raspberry Pi. It is then sent to the ISS where it is run for the astronauts to see and learn from.
Between January and February BC (Before Coronavirus) we had 18 teams from DigiLocal clubs across the region taking part. They joined nearly 6,500 other teams from across the EU region.
Last year I printed out certificates and awarded them to young people at their clubs. Obviously we can’t do that this year, so I’ve emailed the parents with their child’s certificate.
Each certificate includes their name and their team name, and on the reverse an image of the Earth with the path of the ISS showing the exact location when their programme ran!
And, yes, I’ve checked and the maps are all different.
This year’s teams included:
- Red Saints
- Potato People
- BACON
- Gryffindor Hogwarts
- Team Wilburtron mk9
- epicspaceyesokcoolmeow
- Space Smiley Face
- Space Girls
- Apples
- yeetfest
- Potato Squad
- M&M’s
- Time Stones
- epic gamers
- space
- Cool Guys On Devices Engineering
- Team Girls
- Space Potatoes
Congratulations to everyone that took part and had their code on the International Space Station!