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posted by on Thursday February 16 2017, @12:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the another-in-our-ongoing-instructional-series dept.

NASA has a problem with #1 and #2 in space. What to do? Crowdsource it, in the form of a contest where anyone can submit a superior method. The contest just ended with NASA awarding $30,000 to the winning entries.

NASA astronauts' current method of waste disposal involves using a diaper during spacewalks and launch and entry, but these systems can be used only for about a day. The agency noted that it is difficult to design pooping systems for microgravity, where fluids and other things float. Maintaining good hygiene for these systems was among the primary challenges participants were tasked with solving.

In a description of the challenge, NASA said it was looking for technologies that have a "technical readiness level of 4" on its "ready for flight" scale, meaning that the solution could be tested in one year and be ready for space in three years. NASA added that it would consider solutions that would need more time if they were considered breakthroughs.

The goal is to use the system on a mission in the next three or four years, the challenge page said.

An earlier article about the problem: http://www.space.com/35576-space-poop-system-orion-deep-space.html.


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  • (Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday February 16 2017, @10:14PM

    by edIII (791) on Thursday February 16 2017, @10:14PM (#467989)

    Heh, there has been a LOT of thought on that.

    Just to add, from a sci-fi book I can't remember the title of, aliens created a toilet when asked by the humans. Looked like a regular toilet, but was perfectly frictionless. The author spent quite a bit of time describing the magic of poop sliding, without leaving any stains, down and out a drain.

    The most interesting one, that I think is a real winner, came from Garden of Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. In some sentient arthropods decided to help with the #2 needs by developing a symbiotic life form to live *inside* your intestines. It lived off excrement and released only gas. So instead of needing to take any shits at all, you had some creatures living in your butt that took care of it for you. Butt butlers, if you will.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 17 2017, @03:15AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 17 2017, @03:15AM (#468060)

    Looked like a regular toilet, but was perfectly frictionless.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mote_in_God's_Eye [wikipedia.org] ?

    It lived off excrement and released only gas.

    No thanks. Don't want to be making big farts non-stop. And if it's converting significant matter to energy that would be even scarier.

  • (Score: 2) by Bot on Friday February 17 2017, @09:59PM

    by Bot (3902) on Friday February 17 2017, @09:59PM (#468365) Journal

    > Heh, there has been a LOT of thought on that.
    Then I have been lucky, avoiding all that crap SF.

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