Criteria Considerations

1. Mission Impact

•  Our solution addresses the challenge by recycling nylon-rich waste into 3D-printed brackets for Martian infrastructure. This reduces reliance on Earth-supplied parts, frees cargo space, and supports long-term sustainability. It directly tackles the 12,600 kg of inorganic waste projected for a 3-year mission, aligning with the Artemis Accords’ call for responsible resource use and debris reduction.

2. Innovation & Creativity

•  We apply enzymatic recycling to recover nylon from contaminated mission waste. A novel approach in space contexts. This enables the creation of functional brackets from materials that would otherwise be discarded, expanding the possibilities for in-situ infrastructure support.

• 3. Technical Validity

 Nylon is abundant in mission waste (41% in food pouches, 6% in clothing, 3% in cargo transfer bags) and offers excellent mechanical strength, thermal stability, and chemical resistance, ideal for printing durable brackets. Our process mirrors proven Earth-based steps: drying, extrusion, blending, and printing. All adapted for Mars’ dry, low-humidity environment, which supports high-quality nylon processing.

• 4. Challenge Relevance

 Our solution directly responds to the challenge: “SpaceTrash Hack: Revolutionizing Recycling on Mars.” We extract nylon from discarded materials and regenerate it into 3D-printed brackets for habitat setup and infrastructure reinforcement. The system is circular, minimizing waste and maximizing reuse, all without introducing new materials.