NASA is inviting innovators to develop ideas that will help recycle waste products on the Moon. The LunaRecycle Challenge has been introduced as part of efforts to achieve the agency’s objective of establishing a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.

In the past few years, NASA has introduced challenges focusing on reducing waste production and trash mass. The LunaRecycle Challenge, the agency says, will prioritise technologies for recycling waste into usable products needed for off-planet science and exploration activities. Those who can offer innovative solutions for the same can win prize money up to $3 million (over Rs 25 crore). It is open to everyone above age 18 from any country.

What is LunaRecycle? ♻️🗑️

This challenge was created to source ideas centered around inorganic waste management and recycling systems, so astronauts can make the most of their trash production on the lunar surface.

Learn more about this $3M challenge >> https://t.co/L5I1NitQ81 pic.twitter.com/PuIfU7LbtV
— NASA Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing (@NASAPrize) October 1, 2024

The challenge will allow participants to submit their designs in two competition tracks – a Prototype Build track and a Digital Twin track. Tap here for more details on the challenge.

The first category of phase 1 focuses on designing and developing hardware components and systems for recycling one or more solid waste streams on the lunar surface. It carries a cash prize of $1 million. Phase 1 is only to submit the designs, no hardware or prototype.

The second is about designing a virtual replica of a complete system (simulation of the system’s mechanism) for recycling solid waste streams on the lunar surface and manufacturing end products. This entails a cash prize of $2 million.

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NASA has outlined that the focus of the challenge will be efficiently dealing with ‘non-gaseous, non-biological, and non-metabolic’ solid waster and that innovators will be required to build energy efficient, low mass and low impact recycling technologies.

Astronauts visiting and living on the Moon will not have an option to discard things like packaging, fabric and structural elements, which makes it necessary to make the most out of everything they carry.

NASA has assured that all trade secrets, copyrights, patent rights, and software rights will remain with each respective Team. It has even scheduled the first webinar today which will be livestreamed on NASA’s social media handles at 11:30 pm IST.

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(Image: NASA)