In an exciting and proud development, the NASA Space App Challenge 2023 held internationally has concluded with Malaysian science tutor and educator, Mr. Yap from Mr. Yap Science Academy achieving remarkable success. Mr. Yap has not only emerged as the top winner in the country but has also been nominated as a global nominee, representing Malaysia. He went on to win a global finalist title (with honourable mention). Furthermore, his project ranked highly and received an honourable mention from the esteemed judges at NASA.
The highly competitive challenge, organised by NASA and its international space and tech partners, including JAXA and other European space agencies, witnessed the participation of nearly 600 talented individuals from Malaysia alongside a staggering 57,999 participants from 152 countries globally. This edition of the challenge has broken records as the largest NASA space challenge to date and stands as one of the most significant hackathons in history.
Under the theme "Explore Open Science Together," the event emphasised collaborative efforts in advancing scientific exploration. The initiative was spearheaded by Yogeswaran, PhD, a local organising lead for the NASA Challenge and a distinguished space flight engineer.
Mr Yap, a dedicated Malaysian science tutor and scientist, showcased his science and data analytics expertise by developing an artificial intelligence (AI) application designed for space travel. The application features various virtual space station modules equipped with facilities such as a space travel AI module, space travel consultants and astronaut simulation, science education centre, a zero-gravity lab, and others. This innovative project serves as a working prototype to educate students about science, using space science as an example, alongside other advanced functioning modules.
Mr Yap's award-winning work exemplifies his ingenuity and technical ability to integrate the latest, cutting-edge AI technology to solve real-world problems. His exceptional achievement as a global finalist with an honourable mention from NASA judges not only highlights his outstanding talent but also underscores Malaysia's growing prominence and interest in data science, space science, AI, and technology.
This success story is expected to inspire countless aspiring science students to pursue their dreams and actively contribute to solving global challenges. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr Yap on this outstanding accomplishment that has made Malaysia proud.