NEW Intro to Cybersecurity

Explore in a straightforward and practical program using activites for learning and understanding.

Astro Pi

Code in the Stars

Put your Code in the Stars with Astro Pi!

Astro Pi is a European Space Agency Education project with the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Every year, it runs Mission Zero: a non-competitive challenge where students aged 14 and under can send some computer code to run on the Raspberry Pis that are currently on the International Space Station (ISS)!

Astro Pi Illustration with number 30

It’s time to take your coding skills to infinity—and beyond.
Participate in the Mission Zero challenge and send your code to space!

Kids using laptop illustration

The Mission Zero Challenge

Kids using laptop illustration

Any student aged 14 and under can submit a project for Mission Zero, even if it’s their first ever lines of code. You don’t need any hardware or special coding skills - anyone can take part in celebrating digital skills and space!

The projects will contribute to the daily routine aboard the ISS by displaying a personal message or image on the Astro Pi and measuring the relative humidity. Each individual or team that takes part will receive a certificate stating the date and time their code was executed on the ISS!

Astro Pi device and certificate illustration

Mission Zero Challenge Deadline:

March 18th, 2022

Prepare to take part in Astro Pi - virtually!

Kids coding in classroom

Sign up for one of our free online workshops

This equips kids with the knowledge they need to take part in the Astro Pi challenge - but you can still enter the competition without attending a workshop.

Need some help to run your own Astro Pi session?

We created a short video to help educators or community groups to run their own Astro Pi session smoothly!


In this video we describe the mission, give tips and tricks on running a session with
multiple kids, and explain how the package of extra materials we provide below can help you do this project with your kids or students.


Students can work individually or in a team. Your program will measure the relative humidity onboard the space station. You’ll receive a certificate with the time, date, AND location of the ISS when your program ran.

Blue hashtag illustration

Show off your kids’ out of this world coding skills!

Make sure to share pictures, videos, quotes and screen captures on social media. Tag us at @kidscoding and use the hashtags #codeinthestars and #astropi

What is an Astro Pi?

Astro Pi device setup

Photo © European Space Agency

The Astro Pi is a Raspberry Pi with a special casing which allows it to function properly in space. The Raspberry Pi is a computer, much like the computers you use already, except it’s the size of a credit card!

Astro Pi is a project run by the European Space Agency in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Originally started in Europe, this is the fourth year that Canadians have been invited to participate.

Who can take part

Anyone who is 14 years or younger,
By yourself or in teams of up to 4,
Supervised by a teacher, caregiver or mentor

How to take part

  1. Watch our step-by-step tutorial
  2. Teachers/mentors register for Mission Zero and receive a classroom code
  3. Students and young people follow along with the Mission Zero project to write their programs
  4. Students and young people use the classroom code to submit their programs

With the generous support of