Design and Build a Water Filtration System

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INNOVATION GATEWAY CHALLENGE, PRESENTED BY BHP

This challenge is no longer active and has been completed. Submissions are no longer being accepted.

Be part of the NASA mission. Compete in a new series of challenges through our Innovation Gateway, a community science initiative. Everyday explorers – just like you – have the opportunity to provide useful solutions to further space exploration and our world.

In this challenge, you will design, build, and test a water filtration system.

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Clean Drinking Water is a Must

Water is the key to life as we know it, on and off of planet Earth. We use water to grow our crops, keep us hydrated, clean just about everything we have, and more. The atoms that make up water can even be used as fuel for cars and rockets! But water can become contaminated, which would make it unsuitable to drink. When this happens on Earth, the water cycle has the ability to purify our water and make it potable, or safe to drink. But there are also things that we can do to make water more drinkable.

NASA’s Essential Water Filtration

Water filtration is important to NASA more than ever as crewed missions to Mars are on the horizon, but the International Space Station has been utilizing recycled water for over 20 years! Because of the scarcity of water outside of Earth and how much it costs to launch water from Earth’s surface, NASA has allocated many resources to being able to reuse any water that may be excreted by an astronaut during a mission. This means that the ISS has its own water cycle that can make our urine drinkable again!

Prizes

Winners will receive two general admission tickets to Space Center Houston where they will be able to display their project at our Planet Earth Celebration in April! Winners who can’t visit in person will have the opportunity to virtually chat with an astronaut and also virtually present their project.

Level 1: Design and build a water filtration system that removes particulate matter.

Level 2: Design and build a water filtration system that disinfects water using UV radiation.

Level 3: Design and build a two-phase water filtration system that removes particulate matter AND disinfects water using UV radiation.

Helpful hints for all levels:

Explore the resources provided below to find many answers to your questions, including a NASA water filtration activity
Work with family and friends to develop your system.
Submit your entry by using the submission form on this webpage.
Be creative!

Challenge Winners

INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS:

Rezaei Amirmohammad, age 12
Alireza Hadimoghadam, age 14
Dev Patani, age 11
Shivali Patani, age 7
Delaney Simpson, age 17

GROUP SUBMISSIONS:

Alyson Mellon, Peyton Szymanski, and Kensley Morris
Delaney Simpson, Ashley Nickerson, Ella Roark, and Lindsay Sherman
Alexis Jerde, Patrick Donovan, Natalie Escobar, and Albert Devere

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