NASA Spears Challenge for Human waste recycling on the moon

During Apollo’s missions, astronauts left the moon Something more than the effects of feet and stereotypes: 96 bags with Stool, urine and vomiting are part of a less bright legacy in space conquest.

Now, with the future tasks of Artemis As Progress, you want NASA Converting this waste into vital resourcesThat is why I launched the moon challenge.

This global challenge, which closed his call on March 31, 2025, provides prizes of 2.75 million euros for those who suggest the best solution to space waste.

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A new approach to space garbage

Space tasks are limited to the weight they can transfer. During Apollo flights, astronauts They were left behind everything was not necessary to return to EarthIt includes Biological tools, tools and waste. Artemis program seeks to prevent this from happening again.

The agency said: “NASA is committed to exploring sustainable space. In the inhabited tasks in the future, it will be necessary to reduce the different types of waste generated in space and reuse it.”

What is looking for the moon’s challenge?

The goal of the challenge is to develop technologies capable of treating solid waste resulting in the tasks of the moon and Converting them into useful resources. The proposals were accepted in two categories:

• Physical models: Real systems are ready to work on the moon.
• Digital twins: Simulation that allows prediction and improving recycling in real scenarios.

Waste to be transferred It ranges from used clothes, food packaging and laboratory materialsEven human waste. The idea is that the recovered water is used for life support systems, organic waste works as fertilizers for space crops, and recycled materials help build tools or structures.

Towards the circular lunar ecosystem

Participants in the lunar challenge It includes engineers, universities, startups and research centers From the whole world. Once selected proposals with the largest capabilities, progress will be made to the second stage: job development and tests in simulation environments, similar to those in the moon.

This type of innovation can convert the way people live in space, Sustainability model proposal Where all residues become a valuable resource.

In addition to the stories of “peanut bags”, the project represents a step towards a circular life model in space, which is essential to creating permanent bases on the moon, and ultimately in Mars.

BGPA