Bonus Points Will Be Awarded - NASAs Toilet Quest and $20,000

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: Blaine91555

I think people underestimate the effects of being weightless.
Water really acts different

Poop is the real issue, and let's not over look the very tricky Women's monthly issue. It's a very complex issue.

originally posted by: LtFluffyCakes96
a reply to: Blue Shift

The trip to the ISS would probably require the winner to be in excellent health.

Who says they wouldn't be?

originally posted by: Guyfriday

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: Blaine91555

I think people underestimate the effects of being weightless.
Water really acts different

Poop is the real issue, and let's not over look the very tricky Women's monthly issue. It's a very complex issue.

People are filthy animals that evolved by essentially figuring out a way to carry the ocean around in their guts. The more I learn about how inhospitable space is to people, the more I feel that we should concentrate more on keeping Earth clean and healthy.

I just had a thought about what happens when they get diarrhea and made myself shudder.

The environment must get pretty messed up on ISS after years of spittle, and other bodily secretions floating around.

I would consider Uploading my Gravity plating designs .
But Humans are not responsible enough to use the teck in a manner = to the Intergalactic Life from rights board .

But Humans haven't you even learned to rotate your ships yet ?
BA Intelligent . Earth is comedy center that is the true reason we come to get some laughs .

Really why in the heck would we want to take over this speck we have a whole Universe to choose from .

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: Bluntone22

... get a bunch of people to develop ideas for no pay, other than what the winners get. I'd think a company would spend millions developing a new space toilet.

I was thinking the same thing.

While 20 grand might seem like winning the lottery to a poor peon like me, it is less than 2 months salary of a NASA engineer. Not to mention their benefits. But, then again, they are only giving you two months to figure it out for them also. So, it is kinda like working for NASA....

Except, if you don't win 1st, 2nd, or 3rd prize, you get nothing for your two months of labour. And although you didn't win 1st, 2nd, or 3rd prize, your idea on how to wipe our ... Well, we just gotta incorporate that into the winners toilet!

Seems like they want some schmuck to do something they haven't/can't/won't figured out... I bet they have more than $35,000 in their petty cash box.

a reply to: ByteChanger

The real value isn't the money, but rather the prestige of doing the work on a NASA project.

originally posted by: Guyfriday
a reply to: ByteChanger

The real value isn't the money, but rather the prestige of doing the work on a NASA project.

Oh the joy... Maybe they will name something after me, like we did for Thomas Crapper!

NASA spending billions of taxpayer dollars and they can't come up with a working space toilet and now ask for help.

GMAFB...

a reply to: ByteChanger

It’s not that they don’t want to figure it out, it’s that they can’t..

Neither has any other country or their space programs.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: ByteChanger

It’s not that they don’t want to figure it out, it’s that they can’t..

Neither has any other country or their space programs.

That is what I said...

Seems like they want some schmuck to do something they haven't/can't/won't figured out...

originally posted by: midnightstar
I would consider Uploading my Gravity plating designs .
But Humans are not responsible enough to use the teck in a manner = to the Intergalactic Life from rights board .

But Humans haven't you even learned to rotate your ships yet ?
BA Intelligent . Earth is comedy center that is the true reason we come to get some laughs .

Really why in the heck would we want to take over this speck we have a whole Universe to choose from .

Any pictures from home planets?

Well, I think my solution would look something like a large vacuum cleaner. It would require a second person to stand behind you.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: ByteChanger

It’s not that they don’t want to figure it out, it’s that they can’t..

Neither has any other country or their space programs.

Well it's also a good way of getting people involved with space exploration too. If the average person can take part in doing something for advancements in space, then where's the harm? After all it was this kind of thinking that got us WD-40, Pressurized ball point pens, memory foam mattresses, and many other things we use each day.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: ByteChanger

It’s not that they don’t want to figure it out, it’s that they can’t..

Neither has any other country or their space programs.

I think part of the solution is getting beyond optics and worries about privacy. I was only half joking about a vacuum cleaner, they should not discount a two-person solution, where two people are present.

a reply to: Guyfriday

Sometimes NASA over designs things

Take foe example in 1960's way for astronauts to shave in space

Attempted to design an electric razor - had elaborate vacuum system to suck up cut whiskers to prevent them
from floating around in cabin . After spending large sum of money still were trying to get it to work

Was solved by astronaut who went to local drugstore 0 bought tube of shaving cream, double edge razor

Squeezed some shaving cream into hand, rubbed on face, used double edge razor, wiping it clean with tissue

Make an additional room to add to the ISS, seperated by an air lock.

- In the room would be a toilet with 2 compartments, (one for pee, one for poo) and toilet paper to the side.
- The trick then would be to spin the room to make enough artificial gravity so the waste can just fall into the bowls.
- When finished, close toilet compartments and jettison/recycle the waste, the smell in the air will be cleaned back through the normal air filtration.
- Stop the room spinning, and float out of the room.

For sick, just have oxygen mask type devices around the station to be sick into, that can then go through the waste system with the toilet waste.

a reply to: Blaine91555

The buddy system was used on the Apollo missions. I think from reading the HeroX notes, that NASA is looking for a more normal "do it by yourself" system that is simpler that the one on the ISS, but still usable in the low Gs of the Moon. It may seem weird that we can't just use the ISS system or even the one that Elon Musk has on board the Crew Dragon, but full gravity vs low gravity vs micro gravity all present different and complex issues for the simplest things. Pooping being one of them.

Look at the issues you have to deal with:
Extraction of the fecal material from the human body
Containment of said fecal materials
Safe and hygienic storage of said fecal material

And that doesn't even account for urine, mensuration fluids, or even vomited materials. Human waste is a complex issue in a confined space which only gets even more complex in a sealed environment like space.

And in case anyone asks, yes I'm entering a design into the competition. It's interesting to design a solution for these kinds of issues.

a reply to: firerescue
This is exactly why getting the average person involved is also important.

a reply to: Blaine91555

Maybe they should talk to this guy;

a reply to: Guyfriday

Best of luck with your design and thanks for the info on the buddy system

I'm not sure I see any reason for a disposal system, beyond just pumping it outside the vehicle. Perhaps expel it all when they lift off from the Moon.