Artists are natural problem solvers. They are constantly coming up with goofy ideas and then have to figure out how realize the concept.
There are a number of creative exhibition proposals opening up (keep your eyes on Glasstire news and calls for entries) but, for now, NASA needs your help!
NPR reports that the “Space Poop Challenge” is the latest project of the NASA Tournament Lab, a program to invite members of the public to help come up with “novel ideas or solutions” for space-related problems. It’s hosted on HeroX, a crowd-sourcing platform. The challenge is to create an “in-suit waste management system” that can handle six days’ worth of bathroom needs—with a $30,000 prize award.
Of course, they have already figured out how to deal with space poop for a few hours (diapers and some noisy contraptions), but they are looking to resolve longer-term space suit missions and emergencies.
Unlike Belgian artist Wim Delvoye who, a few years ago created Cloaca No.5 (a giant fancy pooping machine that digests and ejects), NASA is looking to take the routine human function to its final and proper destination: elsewhere.
Artists: get to work! The deadline is December 20 and the guidelines are here.
