NASA Announces New Challenge Worth Rs 26 Lakh For Space Toilet Design | Check Details Here

NASA Lunar Loo Challenge: The United States space agency NASA has thrown open a new challenge worth Rs 26 lakh for the global community to send across novel design concepts for compact toilets that can function in microgravity and lunar gravity. Also Read – Lunar Loo Challenge: NASA Is Offering $35,000 Prize Money To Anyone Who Can Build a Toilet for the Moon

The ‘Lunar Loo’ design challenge was announced as NASA is preparing for a return to the Moon with a number of activities that will equip, shelter and support future astronauts for the same. Also Read – Any More Surprises Left For 2020? Neptune-Like Planet Discovered Using Data From NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

The last date of submission is August 17, 2020. Also Read – Virgin Galactic Inks Pact With NASA for Private Passenger Trips to the International Space Station

Requirements for the challenge:

NASA said that the space toilet design has to be in such a way so that when astronauts are in their cabin, out of their spacesuits, they can urinate and defecate in the same conditions as here in Earth. It has to adapt to both – microgravity and lunar gravity – for use in the Artemis lunar landers that transport humans to the Moon.

“Although space toilets already exist and are in use (at the International Space Station, for example), they are designed for microgravity only,” the NASA said in a statement.

The new design should be a next-generation device which is smaller, yet more efficient.

Click here for the detailed guidelines of Lunar Loo Challenge.

NASA’s Artemis Moon mission will land the first woman and next man on the lunar surface by 2024.

Eligibility:

The challenge includes a ‘technical’ category and a ‘junior’ category. For the technical challenge, participants need to be at least 18 years old.

Those under 18 can apply for the junior category of Lunar Loo challenge.

Prize:

The winning design in the technical category will receive $20,000 for first position, $10,000 for second place and $5,000 for third.

Winners in the junior category will get public recognition and NASA-themed merchandise.