{"slug":"asteroid-destroyer","name":"HWO Exoplanet Characterization Platform (Asteroid Destroyer)","hackathon":"nasa-space-apps-2024","tagline":"A 3D map of known exoplanets scored for habitability and detectability, to help the Habitable Worlds Observatory pick targets.","placement":{"status":"track-winner","awards":["Global Connection"],"track":"hwo-navigator"},"team":{"size":4,"members":[],"countries":["CA"]},"problem":"The future Habitable Worlds Observatory needs to know which known exoplanets it could actually observe and characterize.","solution":"A React/three.js web platform over NASA Exoplanet Archive and Gaia data that renders exoplanets relative to Earth, classifies them (gas giant, super-Earth, terrestrial, Neptunian) with literature thresholds, combines habitable-zone, size, temperature and eccentricity scores, estimates signal-to-noise for characterization, and adds K-nearest-neighbours and an LLM-based habitability classifier.","demo_moment":null,"build_style":"software-only","tech":{"stack":["react","three-js","flask","nodejs","vercel","nasa-exoplanet-archive","gaia","openai-api"],"ai_patterns":["llm-api","ml-model"]},"domains":["space-science"],"analysis":{"why_it_stood_out":[{"claim":"Won the award for best connecting people around the world through technology.","basis":"organizer-stated","source":1},{"claim":"Used data processing and machine learning to map exoplanets by size, temperature and distance.","basis":"organizer-stated","source":0},{"claim":"Every classification threshold and habitability score cites the paper it comes from.","basis":"team-stated","source":2},{"claim":"Adds a signal-to-noise estimate, so the map answers 'can HWO characterize it?' rather than only 'where is it?'.","basis":"team-stated","source":2}],"mechanisms":["visible-engineering-depth","cited-evidence-trust","trend-wave-timing","complete-submission-package"],"judging_lens":["technical-depth","scientific-validity","design-ux"],"lessons":["Cite the source of every scoring rule; it turns a visualization into a defensible tool.","Answer the mission's real question (observability), not just the display request."],"confidence":"medium"},"links":{"project_page":"https://www.spaceappschallenge.org/nasa-space-apps-2024/find-a-team/asteroid-destroyer/?tab=project","demo":"https://hwo-navigation.vercel.app/","video":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYPQo4-P5J0"},"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/stem-engagement-at-nasa/nasa-international-space-apps-challenge-announces-2024-global-winners/","kind":"official-results","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14"},{"url":"https://www.spaceappschallenge.org/nasa-space-apps-2024/awards/","kind":"official-event-page","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14","note":"Award definition."},{"url":"https://www.spaceappschallenge.org/nasa-space-apps-2024/find-a-team/asteroid-destroyer/?tab=project","kind":"project-page","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14","note":"Team-written architecture, classification and habitability methods with citations, SNR calculation, repositories."}]}