HeroX Crowdsources with NASA to Breathe Better in Space

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Oct 26, 2022, 08:32 ET

Challenge Seeks Novel Design Concepts to Remove Carbon Particles from New Life Support Systems So Astronauts Can Breathe Easier; Top Ideas to Share $45K Prize Purse

HOUSTON, Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HeroX, the leading platform and open marketplace for crowdsourced solutions, today launched the crowdsourcing competition, the "NASA Particle Partition Challenge." The challenge seeks solutions on behalf of NASA.

Astronauts living aboard the International Space Station are sustained through a complex life support system that maintains a breathable atmosphere. Work is underway to develop components that will comprise the next generation of life support for astronauts. A Bosch reactor takes waste carbon dioxide and converts it to solid carbon and water, in the presence of a catalyst and hydrogen gas. Water is an important resource on its own, and it can also be electrolyzed to produce oxygen and hydrogen.

The solid carbon particulates that are produced in a Bosch reactor must be regularly removed for the reactor to operate. Large amounts of carbon are produced per day (roughly 1 Kg per four-person crew), so removal needs to be both efficient and continuous. The safe collection and removal of carbon particulates generated by this reactor, when run continuously, is the central focus of this Challenge.

"This problem has been brought to the right people," said Kal K. Sahota, CEO, HeroX. "The HeroX community is ready to help again, this time breathing life into the length of planetary missions."

The Challenge: The Challenge is looking to identify innovative ways for fine, particulate carbon to be safely and efficiently removed from a Bosch reactor without impacting the reactor's performance. The design concept could help future astronauts breathe easy by contributing to the development of improved life support systems for future extraterrestrial habitats. And, to encourage the next generation of solvers, there will also be a Junior challenge running concurrently for innovators under 18 years of age. This challenge will ask junior innovators to submit ideas for how an extraterrestrial habitat can maintain a breathable atmosphere for its inhabitants.

The Prize: Winners of this single phase challenge will share a total prize purse of $45,000. The top three participants in the Junior category will each receive public recognition and NASA swag.

Eligibility to Compete and Win Prize(s): The prize is open to anyone aged 18 or older participating as an individual or as a team. Individual competitors and teams may originate from any country, as long as United States federal sanctions do not prohibit participation (some restrictions apply). To submit to the Junior category, you must be younger than 18.

To accept the challenge, visit herox.com/NASAParticle

To accept the junior challenge, visit herox.com/BreathJrChallenge

ABOUT HEROX

HeroX is a platform and open marketplace for crowdsourcing innovation and human ingenuity, co-founded in 2013 by serial entrepreneur, Christian Cotichini and XPRIZE Founder and Futurist, Peter Diamandis. HeroX offers a turnkey, easy-to-use platform that supports anyone, anywhere, to solve everyday business and world challenges using the power of the crowd. Uniquely positioned as the Social Network for Innovation, HeroX is the only place you can build, grow and curate your very own crowd.

Explore the latest challenges at www.herox.com

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SOURCE HeroX