You Can Win $30,000 By Helping Astronauts Poop Better In Space

NASA is facing a unique problem. It wants a safer pooping option for its astronauts when they rocket into space. Needless to say, with no toilet in sight for at least a day or two after launch, holding it in might endanger an astronaut, who like any of us, needs to go when they need to go.
Currently relying on adult diapers, NASA says it is not enough and not useful after a day. They are looking for something that will help an astronaut up to 144 hours, six days to be particular and the person or people to come up with a viable option can win US $30,000. “NASA has not sent astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo missions but now that we plan to venture into lunar orbit and far beyond, astronauts need the ability to live inside their protective spacesuit for a number of days at a time — raising the serious question of waste management,” reported News.com.au. Dubbed as the In Suit Waste Management system, the health of the astronaut during a deep space mission is of utmost concern here when it comes to faecal, urine and menstrual waste.
To explain the concept, an astronaut made a video appeal. “I can tell you that space flight is not always glamorous,” said astronaut Rick Mastracchio, a veteran of Space Shuttle Soyuz, and Space Station missions speaking in a video promoting NASA’s call to action. “People need to go to the bathroom even in a spacecraft,” reported Time.

NASA has called this competition the ‘Space Poop Challenge’ and is taking entries from all countries which are not prohibited by the US federal sanctions. Time magazine reported that, “Mastracchio said it is vital that the waste needs to be treated otherwise it could harm or even kill the astronaut. “Given enough time, infection, and even sepsis can set in. This is the problem we are asking you to help us with.” This is not about tolerating a shitty diaper for days.
All the details about the challenge are given on their crowdfunding platform. “The agency tapped crowdfunding platform HeroX to source a system that can collect up to 75 grams of fecal matter and 1 liter of urine per day, for six days. It must be hands-free, operate in microgravity and prevent leaking precious oxygen,” reported Washington Post.  The other criterias also involve the crew being able to use it while moving, sitting or sometimes in complete vacuum. They should be able to use in less than five minutes.

The astronauts in the suit can’t touch their body or even scratch their nose. If you have or your team can solve this one, you better hurry as the last day for submissions is 20th December. A panel of judges will choose the best idea and award them a whopping $30,000. A working prototype will be up and running in the next three years. So hurry and help the space heroes as pooping becomes a life and death situation.

Feature Image Courtesy: NASA