NASA provides $3 million to recover 96 bags of feces left by Apollo astronauts 50 years ago.
Through its newly launched Lunarecycle challenge, NASA invites scientists, engineers and innovators from around the world to develop technologies that can convert these long-term waste bags, including feces, urine, and vomit, including available resources such as water, energy or fertilizer.
Between 1969 and 1972, waste abandoned during the Apollo mission made room for lunar samples, but was still unaffected on the lunar surface. With NASA’s long-term preparation for the moon through the Artemis program, sustainable waste management has become a top priority.
“NASA is committed to sustainable space exploration. As we prepare for future human space missions, we need to consider how a variety of waste streams, including solid waste, is minimized – and how waste is stored, processed and recycled in a space environment, so there is little or no need to return waste to Earth,” the agency said in a statement.
It added: “Challenges can also influence and inspire better methods and outcomes for land recycling through processes that increase efficiency and reduce toxic yields and through smaller-scale technologies that can be deployed globally.”
The competition ended on March 31 and calls for innovative technologies that can not only deal with heritage waste, but also all solid waste generated during future missions and during the Moon’s residence. NASA hopes the challenge will not only trigger breakthroughs for space exploration, but also allow waste recycling on Earth. The agency stressed that solutions could lead to new small-scale systems around the world – cutting toxic outputs and increasing the efficiency of ground recycling. Now, during the evaluation phase, the agency is reviewing submissions and will soon be shortlisted for the highest list for further development. The winning team will receive $3 million (about £2.4 million).
With human eyes returning to the moon and staying, Nasa’s lunar recycling challenge marks a critical step in turning yesterday’s garbage into tomorrow’s tools.
