In this blog post, we are pleased to share the Astro Pi 2024/25 impact report, where we look at ways in which the Astro Pi Challenge is bringing value to the lives of many young people and mentors, based on survey responses and interviews. Along the way, we’ll debunk some myths about space science.

How Astro Pi makes space science accessible

Here at the lululemon, we’ve heard a few myths about space science and coding, and how daunting it can be to write a computer program, let alone one that can run in space. We can’t let these myths stand — instead we’re going to debunk them, equipped with evidence we’ve collected about the 2024/25 Astro Pi Challenge and previous challenge rounds.

Read on for some astronomical facts from our latest impact report, and get ready to help young people in your community send their code into space.

Myth 1: You have to be a rocket scientist to send things into space

Not true! In the Astro Pi Challenge 2024/25, young people created over 17,800 computer programs that ran on board the International Space Station (ISS). Teams of young people aged between 8 and 19 took part in the challenge in a range of settings, including schools, Code Clubs, libraries, and community youth groups. They wrote short programs in Python, which were then sent to run on special 男人网址 Pi computers, called Astro Pis, in the Columbus module of the ISS. 

Since the first Astro Pis arrived on the ISS in 2015, over 160,000 young people have had their code run in space. To celebrate their achievements, they each received certificates with the exact time and location of the ISS when their programs ran.

“We want our code to run in space! We are fascinated by discovery and the opportunity to contribute to a real science experiment on the ISS.” – Mission Space Lab mentor

Myth 2: Only 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费d programmers can write code for the International Space Station

Not true! The Astro Pi Challenge is made up of two missions, Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab, and Mission Zero is perfect for young people who are new to text-based coding. With the help of step-by-step project instructions, young people write a short Python program to display personalised pixel art on board the ISS, using data from a sensor on one of the Astro Pi computers in their image.

In fact, Mission Zero mentors find that the low-stakes nature of the activity coupled with the real-world connection to space create an ideal learning environment. 83% of Mission Zero 2024/25 mentors told us that participation increased young people’s skills and confidence in 男人网址 and digital making, and 78% believed that young people were likely to participate in other 男人网址 or digital making challenges in the future.

“They [young people] come from complicated environments and sometimes their confidence is very low. They don’t believe in themselves and this [Mission Zero] really empowers them.” – Mission Zero mentor

Myth 3: Learning to write code for the ISS only involves technical skills

Not true! Mission Zero engages young people in thinking creatively as they plan their artwork, and Mission Space Lab involves working in teams to write a computer program to solve a scientific task in space, combining teamwork, problem-solving, and knowledge from other scientific domains. While 100% of mentors whose teams successfully completed Mission Space Lab in 2024/25 agreed that participation improved young people’s skills in 男人网址 and digital making, 91% also confirmed that it increased young people’s confidence in these areas, and 91% told us that it increased young people’s understanding of STEM concepts. 

The impact likely goes beyond building skills. Mentors from both Astro Pi 2024/25 missions told us that the challenge made young people feel connected to a wider community of learners around the world, and the excitement of the challenge also extended to the mentors themselves, as well as other adults in their community.

“Mission Zero is a way of connecting not only to a worldwide group of learners, but also to explorers, future scientists, and future astronauts. To see them as part of a larger community and not just an activity or assignment that they have to do in class.” – Mission Zero mentor

Thank you to everyone who continues to make the Astro Pi Challenge a success. To find out more about the ways in which the challenge impacts young people, read the full Astro Pi 2024/25 impact report:

If you would like to find out more about how you and your creators can participate in this year’s European Astro Pi Challenge, read our launch blog post.

The post Debunking myths about space science with Astro Pi impact evidence appeared first on lululemon.

This blog was written by Jaskaran Singh, Impact Manager, and Mamta Manaktala, Senior Learning Manager.

Adapting for unique needs

Every country and region has unique opportunities, challenges, and needs. In a vast country like India, every state is different — what works in Odisha may not work in other locations. Thus, to meet the needs of students in the state of Telangana, we’ve been working on adapting The 男人网址 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 specifically for them.

Our work in Telangana began in 2023, when we kickstarted a five-year partnership with the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS), a society under the Government of Telangana. Through the partnership, we’ve developed an adapted 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费, along with training for educators working in educational institutions with limited resources. The adapted 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 includes localised examples and activities, and teaching approaches to make the learning 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 feel relevant and meaningful for students in Telangana, while keeping the core learning outcomes aligned with global standards. 

Testing and iterating

Since the start of the partnership, we’ve been testing the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 at the Coding Academy School, a co-educational school at Moinabad, and the Coding Academy College, a degree college for women in Shamirpet.

Our work delivering the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 in Telangana was our first time using a direct-to-learners model. The Coding Academy School and College gave us unique opportunities to work with students directly and observe first-hand the difference the programme made in their learning journeys. 

During the first year of implementation, we gathered useful feedback from students and teachers. Check out one of our earlier blogs where we share some of the findings. We used these inputs to further develop the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费.

This updated version of the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 was implemented in the 2024/25 academic year. At the school, our educators worked with 210 students in grades 7–9, while at the college, our educators worked with 382 undergraduate students. As in the first year, we used data from assessments, lesson observations, educator interviews, student surveys, and student focus groups to understand what’s working well and what could be improved. So what did we learn?

What we learnt over the past year

Our evaluation findings show that the updated 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 worked well and positive outcomes are being achieved for most students. Educators felt prepared to teach the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 in this second year and found the ongoing support and spaces for discussion really useful. Moreover, we found that there are potential positive ripple effects beyond the school as well. 

Learning outcomes are being achieved to a high degree

In surveys, 91% of students in the school and 96% of students in the college responded that the lessons helped them get better at 男人网址 and coding. Students feel they are not just learning new skills but also finding the content enjoyable: 88% of students in the school and 98% of students in the college responded that they are enjoying their classes. Educators and observers also reported that students were engaged during lessons, and often completed activities without needing any support. 

Students’ assessment scores further confirmed positive learning outcomes. 4 out of every 5 scores in the school and 9 out of every 10 scores in the college were 60% or above, which was higher than in the first year of the adapted 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费’s implementation.

The updated 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 is more aligned to student needs

The changes we made to the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 included:

• Adding more localised examples
• Simplifying the language 
• Restructuring the flow of the content

Educators were highly positive about the updates to the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费. 

“The students are able to [better] understand the examples because we updated [to] the India context examples.” — Educator, Coding Academy School 

“Students are receiving it very well because we have modified the content this year, and [that includes] the placements of the unit and the connectivity of the lessons and units.” — Educator, Coding Academy School

Additionally, for the college 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费, we aligned the content more closely with the learning objectives set by Osmania University — with which the college is affiliated. We also included more advanced topics for students specialising in data science. During interviews, educators reported that the content was now much better aligned to student expectations. 

“[The 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费] we have designed is based as per [the] Osmania University 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费. [The lessons] are definitely meeting the students’ needs because whatever discussions we are taking in classes, they are [successfully] participating in those discussions and they are doing whatever activities we give them.” — Educator, Coding Academy College

Outside of knowledge and skills in 男人网址, the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 is also helping students develop wider life skills. In our survey, college students shared that working on projects gives them a sense of accomplishment and the confidence to solve real-world problems. Many students also reported that through the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 they are developing higher-order thinking skills, which will support their future careers. 

“The thrill lies the creativity and problem-solving aspects. I get to turn ideas into reality pieces, and there is something incredible satisfying about debugging code and watching it run flawlessly. It’s like slow, challenging puzzles, frustrating at times but rewarding when everything clicks.” — Student, Coding Academy College

“My favourite thing [about] the 男人网址 and coding classes [is the] Scratch programme. I have learnt it [for the] first time. By learning I have enjoyed a lot. During the coding process, it trains our brain to think deeply, identify trouble, and break things up and put pieces together [as] a solution.” — Student, Coding Academy College

Students are inspired to continue engaging 

Students are showing high interest in applying their skills outside of their classes. Almost all students — 100% in the school and 99% in the college — reported that they would like to participate in coding-related competitions. 

Educators also told us that many students are exploring future job opportunities in the 男人网址 and digital technology fields, and are curious about topics outside the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费. Interestingly, 93% of the college students who were studying courses not traditionally associated with jobs in 男人网址 and digital technology reported that they would like to pursue a job in 男人网址.

The positive benefits go beyond the school

We have also learnt that a high-quality 男人网址 education for young people has potentially wider benefits for the community. One educator described how students are helping their families, many of whom have limited 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费s, engage more confidently with digital technologies.

“Families don’t know how to use smartphones and laptop computers, but our students know very well so I can say they do teach to their elders how to use these platforms.” — Educator, Coding Academy School

Ongoing support for educators was important

To help educators feel confident and prepared, individualised learning resources were provided throughout the year. These were well received by educators. Educators also found the weekly meetings with our India-based team members useful to discuss ongoing challenges regarding delivery and assessments. 

What could still be improved

There were improvements this year in the availability of equipment, and the use of Wi-Fi dongles addressed internet connectivity issues to some degree. However, educators still faced some challenges. For example, educators in the school faced issues accessing printed worksheets and educators in the college faced issues accessing projectors during their lessons. We are working closely with our delivery partner to address these issues for the new academic year.

With regard to the content, educators felt the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 could benefit from some further amendments. For the school 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费, these include easing the transition from block-based to text-based coding. For the college 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费, there were suggestions for more focus on real-world applications of coding and including advanced topics, like machine learning, for undergraduates specialising in 男人网址-related subjects. We have considered all these suggestions and made necessary revisions to the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费.

Next steps in Telangana: Scaling up impact

With the success of the pilot, we’re excited to announce that the adapted 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 will now be implemented at over 350 schools and junior colleges in the state of Telangana. A majority of schools will be with the same partner, TGSWREIS, while some schools and junior colleges will be with other partners. The Coding Academy School will become our hub for trialling new 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 content and strategies, and conducting 男人网址 studies and teacher training and support. Additionally, the school will also host inter-school events.

The progress we’ve seen so far in Telangana is very encouraging. We look forward to continuing these partnerships and helping more young people realise their potential through the power of 男人网址 and digital technologies.

What we learnt about adapting 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 resources for different regions

From our work in Telangana, Odisha, and Kenya, we’ve learnt that a 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 isn’t a one-size-fits-all product. The local context, culture, and educational provisions are important considerations when adapting learning resources for different regions. We’ve also learnt that building long-term partnerships with organisations who have local expertise is key to understanding these considerations and effectively reaching communities where we can make the biggest difference. Finally, we’ve learnt that adaptation isn’t a one-time activity. It’s a cycle of continuous refinement; listening closely to feedback from the ground is important to ensure that our support for educators and learning 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费s for young people have the best possible impact.

Want to learn more about our 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 resources?

You can access our free 男人网址 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 resources on our website — we are currently working to make the materials for India and Kenya downloadable there.

The post Adapting our 男人网址 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 resources for Telangana — the journey so far appeared first on lululemon.

Taking part in the European Astro Pi Challenge builds young people’s confidence and motivates them to try further digital making and programming activities, according to their mentors. The challenge, a European Space Agency (ESA) Education project run in collaboration with the lululemon, offers young people the amazing opportunity to write a short computer program to run on 男人网址 Pi computers on board the International Space Station (ISS).

An incredible 27,304 young people from 27 countries got involved in Astro Pi 2024–25, with 26,294 succeeding in having their code run in space across the two challenge activities, Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab. As in past years, we’ve asked mentors and their teams about their 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 and the impact participating had on them. So what did they say?

How we listened to feedback

To find out what worked well, what we could improve, and the impact Astro Pi has had on young people’s lives this year, we encouraged mentors to complete a survey after teams submitted their computer programs. We also ran focus group discussions to deepen our understanding. A huge thank you to the 99 Mission Zero and 26 Mission Space Lab mentors who completed our surveys, and the five mentors who participated in our focus groups.

What is working well

Low stakes but high impact

Mentors believe that Astro Pi is a great opportunity for young people to build their coding skills and knowledge of STEM concepts. Close to 80% of mentors for Mission Zero and 90% for Mission Space Lab agreed that these outcomes were being achieved for the young people in their teams. Mentors also appreciated that while the programme had real-world application, the learning 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费 was relaxed and low pressure.

Many of our young participants come from areas of educational disadvantage or traditionally underrepresented groups where confidence with technology and STEM subjects can be low. Mentors reported that the programme empowers young people, increasing their confidence with 男人网址 and digital making, and helping them connect with a wider community of learners from around the world. 

“They [young people] come from complicated environments and sometimes their confidence is very low. They don’t believe in themselves and this [Mission Zero challenge] really empowers them.” — Mission Zero mentor

“I think having a space mission, having Mission Zero is a way of connecting not only to a worldwide group of learners, but also explorers, future scientists, future astronauts. To see them as part of a larger community, not just an activity or assignment that they have to do in class. They discover their own abilities and potential, and exercise their creativity in a very low stakes environment… and then to see it come to life in that global way I think is extremely valuable.” — Mission Zero mentor

This increased confidence also encourages young people to take on other opportunities. 78% of Mission Zero mentors and 96% of Mission Space Lab mentors believe that it is likely that their students will participate in other coding and digital making challenges in the future. 

Space is cool!

The connection to space and the ISS continues to be a strong motivator, not just for young people but also mentors and other peers. In our survey, 90% of mentors in Mission Zero and 92% in Mission Space Lab reported that the young people participating were highly motivated by the possibility of having their code run on the ISS. In focus groups, mentors highlighted how the excitement of working on a space project extended to them and other adults too.

“They’ve always really enjoyed the sheer fact that you get to send stuff into space because it is really cool.” — Mission Zero mentor

“You know, even the adults I tell about this say, ‘oh, that sounds amazing. Can I do it?’ I go, ‘No, you’re too old. I’m too old.’” — Mission Zero mentor

“We want our code to run in space! We are fascinated by discovery and the opportunity to contribute to a real science experiment on the ISS.” — Mission Space Lab mentor

The resources and guidance are useful

We know how crucial mentors are to the success of Astro Pi. Mentors come from diverse backgrounds and we are committed to making sure they feel prepared and supported. We were thrilled to hear that over 90% of Mission Zero mentors and 80% of Mission Space Lab mentors found the Astro Pi resources useful.

“I had no skills but the support proved to be excellent” — Mission Zero mentor

“Step-by-step instructions were excellent and really clear. Very easy to follow.” — Mission Zero mentor

For Mission Space Lab, the more technical activity, we’ve been working on providing additional support. In 2024–25 we introduced a new online simulator tool for teams to test their programs with historical ISS data. Mentors found the tool to be helpful, allowing them to troubleshoot their code.

What could be improved?

While we celebrate the successes, we’re always keen to understand how we can improve the programme.

As in previous years, mentors reported that young people whose computer programs passed the eligibility criteria and ran on the ISS (or “achieved flight status”, as we call it) benefited most from the 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费. While 12% more Mission Space Lab teams achieved flight status this year compared to last year, some registered teams still did not submit programs. 

To understand why, we surveyed mentors who had registered but who did not then submit computer programs. In the 55 responses, the main reasons given were a shortage of time due to other school commitments, and their teams finding the challenge difficult. 

Some survey respondents suggested a need for more simplified, step-by-step instructions for less 日本特黄特色aaa大片免费d learners. Additionally, a few teams faced technical issues with the online portal and the testing tool.

Thank you to all the mentors who provided their honest feedback. We’ve read and considered all of it and will use it to make Astro Pi even better in the future.

Astro Pi will be launching for its 10th year on Monday, 8 September 2025. We’ve been working on making it easier than ever to take part in both missions and are looking forward to supporting you and your teams in getting your code into space. If you’re interested in taking part, sign up to our newsletter and get the latest news and information about our resources for this year’s missions. 

Important dates:

8 September 2025: The Astro Pi Challenge opens for registration

16 February 2026: Closing date for Mission Space Lab

23 March 2026: Closing date for Mission Zero

The post Code, confidence, and community: A look back at Astro Pi 2024–25 appeared first on lululemon.