November 28th, 2016 zeeshan
On earth, managing yourwaste is quite simple but it is a serious issue in space due to less gravitation. This forces the astronauts to wear special types of diapers but they have their own shortcomings.
According to a new announcement by NASA. it will give reward of $30,000 (around Rs. 3 million) to a person or organization that will present the best solution of human waste management in space. Astronauts can’t change diapers again and again as they wear very heavy and complicated space suits. But infections and other diseases can be caused by continuous wearing of these diapers.
To solve this issue, NASA wants suggestions from people around the world. Now designers from around the world can present their ideas to replace human diapers in space at a NASA’s created webpage “Space Waste Challenge ”. Ideas on this page can be presented till 20 th December 2016 while the selected idea will be announced in January 2017 and the winner will receive $30,000 reward.
But NASA has also provided few instructions that should be remembered before sending any idea of space waste management. Sometimes, the low pressure in space cabin forces humans to wear the same dress for longer duration due to which it is necessary for any idea that the presented system must retain human waste for minimum 144 hours (6 days) and it would take 5 minutes to become part of space suit. Astronauts wear very heavy suits in space due to which it should be very lightweight. There is lightness in space which changes liquids in circular shapes and heavy objects also circulate at various places.
An astronaut told in a video by NASA that space travel is difficult journey where astronauts have to visit toilets during flight also. Human waste in space is an important issue and nowNASA wants to solve this issue through suggestions by experts around the world.
