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NASA's recycling ambitions on the Moon
- When the Artemis program astronauts land on the Moon in 2025, they will be responsible for building their home. Following the wasteful (albeit extraordinary) space excursion that was Project Apollo, NASA is determined that, this time round, the astronauts will make use of recycled materials. Recycling on the Moon is not easy, however. The lunar environment makes many processes more difficult. Astronauts will be subject to more physical limitations than people trying to recycle on Earth. In answer to this problem, NASA has launched a competition asking entrants to come up with creative ideas for how astronauts can recycle materials once they land on the Moon. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
© Getty Images
0 / 29 Fotos
Artemis program
- In 2025, NASA’s Artemis program plans to return humans to the Moon. More than 50 years on from the first Moon landing, things are set to look quite different this time around.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
1969 Moon landing
- When the astronauts from Project Apollo landed on the Moon for the first time ever, it was a momentous occasion for science and, indeed, mankind.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Discarded items
- However, it was not a sustainable endeavor. In fact, there is a laundry list of items that the astronauts simply discarded on the lunar surface before leaving.
© Getty Images
3 / 29 Fotos
Offloading weight
- From bags of urine to family photos, the Apollo team left behind whatever they could. They needed to make themselves as light as possible for the journey home.
© Getty Images
4 / 29 Fotos
Context
- No one would blame them, of course. The 1969 Moon landing is up there with the greatest achievements of mankind, and in the 1960s recycling was not much of a topic.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
Today
- However, when astronauts walk on the Moon again as part of the Artemis program, NASA plans to make the excursion as sustainable as possible.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Grand plans
- The astronauts will need to build a place for themselves to live. The plan is to build as much of it as possible from recycled materials.
© Getty Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Times have changed
- In today's context, it does not seem necessary to explain the environmental benefits of using recycled materials to build a home for astronauts on the Moon.
© Getty Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Economic benefits
- However, it is worth pointing out the economic benefit. The first thing to understand is that flying anything from the Earth to the Moon is very expensive.
© Getty Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Talking numbers
- According to NASA project manager Jennifer Edmunson, it costs between US$1 million and $1.2 million to send a single kilogram (about 2.2 lbs) on that journey.
© Getty Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Cheaper to recycle
- Therefore, there is a clear economic benefit to astronauts recycling as many materials as they can once they land on the Moon.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
LunaRecycle
- Enter: LunaRecycle, NASA’s US$3 million competition that focuses on the design and development of lunar recycling solutions.
© Getty Images
12 / 29 Fotos
The brief
- Entrants have been asked to come up with innovative ways to recycle materials, such as bubble wrap or fabric, that astronauts can use to build their home on the Moon.
© Getty Images
13 / 29 Fotos
Example
- For example, an entrant might find a creative way to transform a food package into a piece of cutlery or even a work of art. The idea is for the lunar habitat to be homey.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
No Apollo materials to be used
- NASA’s aim is not to use materials left behind by the Apollo team. Indeed, these are now considered valuable historical artifacts.
© Getty Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Other solid materials
- However, there are plenty of other solid materials that have been left behind on the Moon that are not, perhaps, quite so valuable.
© Getty Images
16 / 29 Fotos
Crashed satellites
- For example, there are several crashed lunar satellites currently on the Moon that could be stripped for parts and used as construction materials.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Low gravity
- The task of converting these materials into something useful is not simple, however. On the one hand, the low gravity on the Moon can make it difficult to separate materials.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
Lunar dust
- On the other hand, the dust on the Moon (sometimes referred to as "lunar dust") gets in the way of moving machinery, and is a general nuisance.
© Getty Images
19 / 29 Fotos
Reason for the challenge
- The conditions that make it difficult to recycle materials on the Moon are the reason that NASA has started this challenge. They want to receive ideas from people from different walks of life.
© Getty Images
20 / 29 Fotos
Progress already made
- The current challenge focuses on the recycling of non-toxic materials. However, it is worth noting that when it comes to other types of lunar recycling, a lot of progress has already been made.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Water recycling on the ISS - On the International Space Station (ISS), for example, NASA says that the water recycling system is currently running at 98% efficiency.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
98% efficient
- This means that almost all the liquid waste produced by the astronauts, including their urine, sweat, and moisture from their breath, is recycled back into drinking water.
© Getty Images
23 / 29 Fotos
Closed loop
- This type of recycling, which may not sound particularly appealing, but which is very efficient, is called a "closed-loop recycling system." Almost everything humans produce is recycled into something useful.
© Getty Images
24 / 29 Fotos
Other closed loops
- On Earth, we already use this sort of biological recycling in farming, where we often use animal or human waste to fertilize crops.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
Closed loops on the Moon
- If eventually we want to grow food on the Moon, which will almost certainly be necessary, it could make sense to use the astronauts’ waste as fertilizer.
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
Exciting challenge
- The scientists at NASA are very excited about the LunaRecycle challenge and all the ideas for lunar sustainability that people will undoubtedly impress them with.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Added benefit
- And even better, the entries may even inspire scientists to come up with better solutions for reusing materials here on Earth. Sources: (BBC) (NASA) See also: Things that have been left on the Moon
© Getty Images
28 / 29 Fotos
NASA's recycling ambitions on the Moon
- When the Artemis program astronauts land on the Moon in 2025, they will be responsible for building their home. Following the wasteful (albeit extraordinary) space excursion that was Project Apollo, NASA is determined that, this time round, the astronauts will make use of recycled materials. Recycling on the Moon is not easy, however. The lunar environment makes many processes more difficult. Astronauts will be subject to more physical limitations than people trying to recycle on Earth. In answer to this problem, NASA has launched a competition asking entrants to come up with creative ideas for how astronauts can recycle materials once they land on the Moon. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
© Getty Images
0 / 29 Fotos
Artemis program
- In 2025, NASA’s Artemis program plans to return humans to the Moon. More than 50 years on from the first Moon landing, things are set to look quite different this time around.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
1969 Moon landing
- When the astronauts from Project Apollo landed on the Moon for the first time ever, it was a momentous occasion for science and, indeed, mankind.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Discarded items
- However, it was not a sustainable endeavor. In fact, there is a laundry list of items that the astronauts simply discarded on the lunar surface before leaving.
© Getty Images
3 / 29 Fotos
Offloading weight
- From bags of urine to family photos, the Apollo team left behind whatever they could. They needed to make themselves as light as possible for the journey home.
© Getty Images
4 / 29 Fotos
Context
- No one would blame them, of course. The 1969 Moon landing is up there with the greatest achievements of mankind, and in the 1960s recycling was not much of a topic.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
Today
- However, when astronauts walk on the Moon again as part of the Artemis program, NASA plans to make the excursion as sustainable as possible.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Grand plans
- The astronauts will need to build a place for themselves to live. The plan is to build as much of it as possible from recycled materials.
© Getty Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Times have changed
- In today's context, it does not seem necessary to explain the environmental benefits of using recycled materials to build a home for astronauts on the Moon.
© Getty Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Economic benefits
- However, it is worth pointing out the economic benefit. The first thing to understand is that flying anything from the Earth to the Moon is very expensive.
© Getty Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Talking numbers
- According to NASA project manager Jennifer Edmunson, it costs between US$1 million and $1.2 million to send a single kilogram (about 2.2 lbs) on that journey.
© Getty Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Cheaper to recycle
- Therefore, there is a clear economic benefit to astronauts recycling as many materials as they can once they land on the Moon.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
LunaRecycle
- Enter: LunaRecycle, NASA’s US$3 million competition that focuses on the design and development of lunar recycling solutions.
© Getty Images
12 / 29 Fotos
The brief
- Entrants have been asked to come up with innovative ways to recycle materials, such as bubble wrap or fabric, that astronauts can use to build their home on the Moon.
© Getty Images
13 / 29 Fotos
Example
- For example, an entrant might find a creative way to transform a food package into a piece of cutlery or even a work of art. The idea is for the lunar habitat to be homey.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
No Apollo materials to be used
- NASA’s aim is not to use materials left behind by the Apollo team. Indeed, these are now considered valuable historical artifacts.
© Getty Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Other solid materials
- However, there are plenty of other solid materials that have been left behind on the Moon that are not, perhaps, quite so valuable.
© Getty Images
16 / 29 Fotos
Crashed satellites
- For example, there are several crashed lunar satellites currently on the Moon that could be stripped for parts and used as construction materials.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Low gravity
- The task of converting these materials into something useful is not simple, however. On the one hand, the low gravity on the Moon can make it difficult to separate materials.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
Lunar dust
- On the other hand, the dust on the Moon (sometimes referred to as "lunar dust") gets in the way of moving machinery, and is a general nuisance.
© Getty Images
19 / 29 Fotos
Reason for the challenge
- The conditions that make it difficult to recycle materials on the Moon are the reason that NASA has started this challenge. They want to receive ideas from people from different walks of life.
© Getty Images
20 / 29 Fotos
Progress already made
- The current challenge focuses on the recycling of non-toxic materials. However, it is worth noting that when it comes to other types of lunar recycling, a lot of progress has already been made.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Water recycling on the ISS - On the International Space Station (ISS), for example, NASA says that the water recycling system is currently running at 98% efficiency.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
98% efficient
- This means that almost all the liquid waste produced by the astronauts, including their urine, sweat, and moisture from their breath, is recycled back into drinking water.
© Getty Images
23 / 29 Fotos
Closed loop
- This type of recycling, which may not sound particularly appealing, but which is very efficient, is called a "closed-loop recycling system." Almost everything humans produce is recycled into something useful.
© Getty Images
24 / 29 Fotos
Other closed loops
- On Earth, we already use this sort of biological recycling in farming, where we often use animal or human waste to fertilize crops.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
Closed loops on the Moon
- If eventually we want to grow food on the Moon, which will almost certainly be necessary, it could make sense to use the astronauts’ waste as fertilizer.
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
Exciting challenge
- The scientists at NASA are very excited about the LunaRecycle challenge and all the ideas for lunar sustainability that people will undoubtedly impress them with.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Added benefit
- And even better, the entries may even inspire scientists to come up with better solutions for reusing materials here on Earth. Sources: (BBC) (NASA) See also: Things that have been left on the Moon
© Getty Images
28 / 29 Fotos
NASA's recycling ambitions on the Moon
Finding sustainable solutions for lunar waste
© Getty Images
When the Artemis program astronauts land on the Moon in 2025, they will be responsible for building their home. Following the wasteful (albeit extraordinary) space excursion that was Project Apollo, NASA is determined that, this time round, the astronauts will make use of recycled materials. Recycling on the Moon is not easy, however. The lunar environment makes many processes more difficult. Astronauts will be subject to more physical limitations than people trying to recycle on Earth.
In answer to this problem, NASA has launched a competition asking entrants to come up with creative ideas for how astronauts can recycle materials once they land on the Moon. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
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