Cosmic radiation, space debris, zero gravity are some of the challenges astronauts face while living in space. However, if you are always in a spacesuit, another challenge involves heeding the "call of nature" to poop.
Now, NASA created a new program known as the Space Poop Challenge where the space agency is asking innovators to create helpful urine, fecal, and menstrual management systems for spacesuits that can last for six days. NASA is giving away US$30,000 prize money as part of this contest.
While in space, astronauts rely on diapers since there is no bathroom cubicle in space launch vehicles. They need to wear diapers during launching, landing, and during spacewalks which can take a few hours. Now, nobody wants to sit or move around with urine, blood or poop inside their spacesuits, as it is incredibly not hygienic and can pose hazardous effects to human health.
NASA officials explain that during cabin depressurization, astronauts wear their spacesuits for around 144 hours. Each crew member will have less than 60 minutes to wear and seal their spacesuit. In this new challenge, this proposed system is required to take less than five minutes to set up and integrate.
Apart from this time element, another challenging part of this system is that it should also work in microgravity inside a pressurized space suit. Floating liquids and waste should be kept far away or safely separated in leak-proof compartments, so that it will not compromise spacesuit systems and harm sensitive body parts.
The winning waste management system will be designed for the new NASA's Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit that will be used by astronauts for the Orion mission to the moon in 2018.
Submissions for the Space Poop Challenge are open until December 20. The winner will be announced on January 31, 2017.