NASA will pay R$18 million to anyone who solves the poop problem in space

THE NASA is back with a new challengeand this time the mission is serious (and somewhat unusual): find a solution to store human waste in space. Yes, we are talking about feces and urine. And, of course, whoever manages to solve this cosmic problem is going to get a hell of a lot of money. award — no less than 3 million dollars (or 17 million reais, if you prefer). The issue is not new, but NASA wants to finally put an end to the space mess since the first missions.

Since 1969… And Nothing!

The problem of how to deal with human waste in space is not new. THE NASA It has been facing this challenge since the Apollo missions in 1969. And, surprisingly, until now no one has managed to create a truly efficient solution to prevent astronauts and the ship’s environment from ending up exposed to human “waste”. It may seem simple, but in zero gravity, any little thing out of place becomes a big (and stinky) problem.

Zero Gravity, Maximum Problems

With the absence of gravity, what here on Earth would be just a good discharge, in space becomes a huge challenge. And you can’t just leave things floating around, right? Everything has to be stored in an ultra-secure way, otherwise the ship’s environment could be contaminated. Have you thought? During the Apollo missions, for example, astronauts dropped 96 bags of human waste on the Moon. If anyone thought we didn’t leave anything there, guess again!

Artemis Missions: Return to the Moon (And the Dilemma Continues)

Now that the NASA is planning to return to the Moon with the Artemis missions, things got more serious. The idea is to establish a continuous human presence on the satellite, and for that, we need a solution to the old dilemma: what to do with human “trash” during these long stays? You can’t repeat the mistake of the past and leave 96 new “souvenirs” there.

The LunaRecycle Challenge: Turn Feces into Gold

To resolve the dilemma once and for all, the NASA launched the “LunaRecycle Challenge”, a competition that offers a award irresistible award of 3 million dollars to anyone who develops the best solution to manage and recycle human waste in space. This is the type of challenge that could change everything, both for space missions and for waste management here on Earth. So, are you going to face it?

Sustainability Is Also an Astronaut Thing

According to Amy Kaminski, executive of the Awards program, Challenges and Crowdsourcing from NASAthe issue goes beyond just keeping “necessities”. “Operating sustainably is an important consideration for NASA as we make discoveries and conduct research both abroad and on Earth,” she said. In other words, even in space, fashion is now about being sustainable.

Two Categories: Physical Prototype or Virtual Solution

THE LunaRecycle Challenge is divided into two main categories. The first is the Prototype Build Trackwhich focuses on creating physical prototypes to deal with solid waste recycling (yes, we’re talking about real prototypes to deal with… well, you know). The second, called Digital Twin Tracktakes the technological path and seeks virtual simulations to show the best way to deal with lunar waste.

The 3 Million Prize: Will You Get a Million Now?

If 3 million already seems tempting, know that up to 1 million dollars will be available during the first phase of the contest. In other words, even if you don’t have the project completely completed yet, you can fatten your bank account just with promising ideas. The best solutions will win shares of this amount, so it’s time to put your creativity to work.

Lunar Trash? What Nothing! Turn This into Useful Products

The ultimate objective of this challenge It’s not just figuring out how to store feces safely. The idea is to go further and discover ways to transform this waste into something useful. We are talking about recycling at a space level! If it works there, who knows, maybe we can apply this technology here on Earth too?

Space Debris Inspiring Sustainability on Earth

THE NASA believes that solutions for space can also help down here, on the blue planet. So, if you find an amazing way to turn “space junk” into something useful, your idea might change the way we manage waste here on Earth. Global sustainability is on the radar of NASA — after all, the Earth deserves a little help too.

Who Is Coordinating Everything?

THE challenge is being coordinated by the University of Alabama, in partnership with AI SpaceFactory. These two institutions will evaluate the proposals and choose the most innovative solutions among the candidates. The teams, of course, will have to rack their brains (no pun intended) to solve 187 technological challenges that may appear in future missions. NASA.

Want to Win 3 Million? Sign Up Now!

If you think you have a brilliant idea to solve this big space problem, write it down: the deadline to participate in the LunaRecycle Challenge It runs until January 30, 2025. Registration can be made via the University of Alabama website. This is your chance to make history in space… and still become a millionaire!

More than Solving Problems: It’s a Revolution!

THE challenge released by NASA It’s not just a competition for astronauts and mad scientists. It could revolutionize both space exploration and waste management on the planet. With sustainability in focus, this challenge it could be the first step towards a cleaner, more prosperous future — here on Earth and there on the Moon.

Summary for those in a hurry:

• NASA wants to solve the problem of feces in space with the LunaRecycle Challenge.
• Awards of 3 million dollars (or 17 million reais).
• Two categories: development of physical prototypes and virtual simulations.
• The idea is to transform waste into useful products, for space and for the Earth.
• Registration deadline is January 30, 2025.
• If you resolve this challengeyou can change the future and still become a millionaire!