Nasa wants to turn human POO into fuel for Mars missions
NASA is asking for help to turn human waste into useful products so long missions to Mars are more feasible.
The US space agency has stressed that a trip to Mars and back could take about two or three years and a lot of waste would be made in that time.
"During these long trips, astronauts will generate a lot of waste, and unlike our crews aboard the International Space Station, they will not have the benefit of on-demand resupply missions to deliver supplies or remove trash.
"Some waste products may be repurposed into useful materials, or turned into a gas which the crew could either use or vent into space, while others will need to be safely jettisoned, or ejected from the spacecraft.
"With a goal of making giant leaps in sustainability, NASA is seeking input from the public to help develop new and innovative ideas to convert waste into useful materials or safely eject it away from a spacecraft."
It's still encouraging people to apply and potentially win prizes for any good ideas.
Nasa also recently launched the , which aims to find a safe way to shoot non-recyclable waste into space.
The aim is for this waste to orbit the Sun and not contaminate other planets or celestial bodies.
Mike Ewert, life support and thermal systems analyst at Nasa’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, said: "We will need to dispose of items that can’t be recycled or reused in a manner that is safe for the spacecraft, crew, and future missions as well.
"A jettison mechanism would lighten the spacecraft, save fuel, and most importantly, could help long-term missions be successful."
The deadline for the Waste to Base Materials Challenge is March 15.
Winners will share a prize of $24,000.
The submission submission deadline for the Waste Jettison Mechanism Challenge is April 12 this year.
Winners will share a prize of $30,000.
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