NASA is offering $30,000 for the best invention
Public Domain photo Courtesy of WikiCommons
NASA has created a “Poop” contest and is offering a $30,000 prize. Contestants must create an “in-suit waste management system that would be beneficial for contingency scenarios or for any long duration task” that an astronaut may have. The contest opened on October 11th and will end December 20th.
November 29, 2016
NASA is hosting a contest to create the most efficient waste release device for the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit, a suit that will be used for the future Orion craft missions to deep-space, and is offering a prize of $30,000 for the best invention.
Astronauts are currently using extremely absorbent adult diapers during rocket launches and space walks-which usually take up to eight hours. For further ventures, these diapers are not as reliable for long-term use and put the astronauts in risk of diaper rashes and infections. NASA Astronaut, Rick Mastracchio, regards, “I can tell you that spaceflight is not always glamorous, people need to go to the bathroom, even in a spacecraft.”
This “Space Poop Challenge” is available to all individuals, whether or not they are experienced in engineering and design. The system must be able to last for around 6 days of use, maintain the suits pressurization to not allow any precious oxygen to escape, and take no more than five minutes for the astronauts to set it up and use it hands-free. The contest will end on December 20th and is a great opportunity students to earn extra money to pay for college or other expenses they may have.
