Sometimes we wonder if life on Mars could ever be a real possibility.
NASA is exploring that idea and asking for public input.
The organization is doing this through a competition called the In Situ (in place) Resource Utilization Challenge. It enables anyone to speculate on how to make use of Martian resources.
The Challenge Website offers this as a possible idea: “One could use surface-based materials such as regolith or basalt to produce structural elements that can be interconnected to create launch/landing pads”.
Other options include the use of Martian soil for radiation shielding, construction foundations, and more. According to the agency, proper resource utilization could save the agency more than $100,000 per 2.2 pounds in cargo costs in the 2030s when NASA plans to begin colonization on the red planet.
This challenge pays out money: $10,000 for first place and $2,500 for second place . Through the competition, NASA will obtain full license to use ideas as they see fit, but perhaps you could also score some more work with NASA out of it.
“NASA’s newest challenge is yet another stellar example of the agency’s commitment to harnessing the ingenuity of citizens as we seek to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability and opportunity in space,” NASA’s Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan says . “Exploring Mars and other worlds is a herculean endeavor. Like other agencies across the federal government, NASA recognizes that our success will be enhanced greatly by involving people with all kinds of knowledge, skill sets and ideas in our work.”
The competition closes on December 3, with winners expected to be announced in late January 2016. A full list of rules and constraints for submissions is available online.
Photo Source: NASA