Five North High School students, under the name Team Frostbyte, have been selected as one of five finalists in the NASA App Development Challenge. The team will travel to the Johnson Space Center in Houston in April to give their presentation in person. The members of Team Frostbyte are Champ-Pacifique Mukiza, Sujal Pokhrel, Jefrey Allen, Moss Louvan and Romas Pokhrel. According to a Des Moines Public Schools blog post, Team Frostbyte’s entry is an app that visualizes mission planning for an expedition to the moon. The challenge requires teams to examine the South Pole region of the moon, use lunar terrain data and display information for an astronaut’s navigation and communication. “My favorite thing is seeing everything come together. Everything in between has been ups and downs,” Muzika said. “Through this project I’ve learned how to see the end goal even when things are challenging in the moment.” The team also wants to share about opportunities in STEM with other DMPS students. “It’s hard to think of a color that you’ve never seen. It’s hard to think of an opportunity or a journey for your own life that you didn’t know exists,” Muzika said. To view photos of Team Frostbyte, click here.
