Mission Zero Official Guidelines

Participants follow our handy step-by-step guide to write a short program in Python, using the Mission Zero Sense HAT web emulator:

• Create a personalised image (or animation) for the astronauts to see as they go about their daily tasks 

• Take a reading from the colour and luminosity sensor on the Astro Pi computer

• Use the sensor reading to set the colour of the background in your personalised image

All entries that meet the eligibility criteria and follow the official guidelines for participating in Mission Zero will have their program run in space!

• The team mentor needs to register for Mission Zero via the ‘register for Mission Zero’ link at astro-pi.org/mission-zero. You will need a Raspberry Pi account to register. If you already have a Raspberry Pi account, you will be asked to log in; if you do not, you will be able to create one. Once you have registered, you will be taken to your Mission Hub.

• Mentors will be the point of contact with the Astro Pi team and will receive information via their Mission Hub.

• When mentors register for Mission Zero, they will receive a unique classroom code. All teams that are supervised by the same mentor will use the same classroom code when submitting their entries. Please note that you will be issued with a new classroom code each year; you cannot use your classroom code from last year.

• There is no limit to the number of entries a school or club can submit, but each student or young person can only enter once, either individually or as part of a team.

• Teams write their program using the step-by-step guide and follow the steps to submit their entry using the classroom code. Teams will need to provide each team member’s first name and their team name. This is what will appear on the certificates, so please make sure this information is correct. Please do not include team members’ surnames. Please note that a program cannot be changed once it has been submitted.

• If teams are not ready to submit their programs, they can enter their team’s details and classroom code and Save their progress. To open their draft program, they can re-enter their team name and classroom code in the Mission Zero starter project.

• Once teams have submitted their programs, mentors will be able to view their teams’ details and a link to a snapshot of their programs from their Mission Hub.

• All eligible entries that follow the official guidelines are automatically granted flight status. Teams will have their programs run in space in spring 2026.

• Mentors will receive official Mission Zero certificates for each team that submitted an entry using their classroom code, by logging in to their Mission Hub. We will notify you in June 2026 when the certificates are available to download.