Even though NASA’s main goal is for its astronauts from Mars to produce the materials they need directly on the planet, it is not as easy as they expected because the resources which are taken for granted on Earth are really hard to get on the Red Planet. The company’s administration came up with a new plan which might modify this situation and accomplish that feat, but it can’t do it without your help. NASA has come up with a challenge for you which is called the CO2 Conversion Challenge and has the public search for methods of turning carbon dioxide in compounds which are not easy to find on Mars but where the carbon dioxide is plenty. It might also help us on Earth.
HOW WILL THE CO2 CONVERSION CHALLENGE WORK?
The competition’s main focus will be glucose, a material which is the most efficient and is not hard to metabolize. For the first phase of the challenge, teams are asked to submit designs which explain their approach in detail. The five best ideas will be awarded $50,000 each. After a team passes in the second phase of the CO2 Conversion Challenge, they will need to demonstrate and build their solutions. The group’s most promising candidate will earn up to $750,000.
If you want to give it a try, you can enter until 24th of January 2019 and submit your ideas until the 28th of February. Your work will be judged between the 8th of March and 10th of April.
Any person can try and facilitate the humans who stay on Mars in the long-term and who’s trip lasts longer than the cargo they can carry before coming back home.
Even though there are earthbound applications, it is not that easy to capture and turn Co2 into good use. If the participants of the challenge do good, the emissions of CO2 might become lower and produce some useful goods.
As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.