What to do with the garbage? NASA promises $3 million to those who can solve major problem on the Moon

The US space agency NASA is offering a $3 million reward to anyone who helps solve a global problem. Scientists say that we need to think about what to do with the garbage that astronauts accumulate in space.

It is not only about feces and urine, but also about other waste that will remain during long missions on the Moon and Mars, such as building bases. NASA hopes to find interesting ideas and projects for recycling waste into useful products, IflScience writes.

NASA first thought about the problem of space garbage during the Apollo missions. On their way to the Moon, the Apollo astronauts collected their urine in tanks and feces in bags. These bags, along with other waste and debris, were unloaded on the Moon to free up weight for samples from the satellite's surface.

The first-ever photograph taken by Neil Armstrong on the Moon shows one of these waste bags.

Although the rovers and landers do not produce waste, as NASA aims to stay on the Moon longer, inorganic waste - scientific equipment, clothing, and food packaging - could become a problem.

Thus, NASA is ready to pay $3 million for the best project to recycle waste into useful products.

"Operating sustainably is an important consideration for NASA as we make discoveries and conduct research both away from home and on Earth. With this challenge, we are seeking the public’s innovative approaches to waste management on the Moon and aim to take lessons learned back to Earth for the benefit of all," said Amy Kaminski, NASA Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing Program Manager.

NASA notes that the competition will be divided into two parts.

"The Prototype Build Track focuses on designing and developing hardware components and systems for recycling one or more solid waste streams on the lunar surface," NASA explains. "The Digital Twin Track focuses on designing a virtual replica of a complete system for recycling solid waste streams on the lunar surface and manufacturing end products," the agency said.

Interestingly, teams that sign up will be able to compete in one or two areas at once, with the prize money split between the two projects.

"We are very excited to see what solutions our global competitors generate, and we are eager for this challenge to serve as a positive catalyst for bringing the agency, and humanity, closer to exploring worlds beyond our own," added Kim Krome, acting program manager of the agency's Centennial Challenges program and LunaRecycle challenge manager.

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