In a bid to address the growing problem of human waste on the Moon, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced a $3 million (approximately ₹25 crore) global competition. The challenge invites innovative solutions for removing or recycling waste left by astronauts during historic lunar missions.
NASA’s latest initiative stems from decades of lunar exploration, dating back to the Apollo missions conducted between 1969 and 1972. During that period, six manned missions successfully landed on the Moon. While astronauts brought back lunar samples for analysis, they also discarded non-essential materials on the surface due to limited storage capacity within the lunar modules.
According to NASA, waste disposal and management remain major challenges in space exploration. Although astronauts currently recycle much of the equipment used in orbit, dealing with waste left behind on extraterrestrial bodies poses significant logistical and environmental hurdles.
As part of its commitment to advancing long-term lunar habitation, NASA is seeking ideas from researchers, innovators, and organizations that can develop scalable and sustainable waste management technologies. The agency emphasized that any viable solution could play a critical role in enhancing human presence and life-support systems on future lunar missions.
NASA stated that the $3 million prize will be awarded to the most promising concept that demonstrates the ability to effectively manage, remove, or recycle waste on the lunar surface, thereby supporting cleaner and more sustainable space exploration in the years to come.