Can you think of a $500,000 replacement for Tang?

Even if you yourself can’t go to space, if you’re inventive, you could be part of the space program — and be a half-million dollars richer!  If you can figure out how to get healthy, sustainable food to space you could win $500,000.

NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge is looking for people to come up with a way to get things like fresh produce and other healthy items to space for future explorers.  They’re looking for the food to be able to be grown and harvested on the space shuttle in a way that would be healthy and safe for people to consume.  The solution NASA is looking for includes efficient use of volume, water, and other constraints that could be used to benefit areas facing hunger and food shortages on Earth.

If you’re up to the challenge, you have to be registered by May 28th, and your Phase 1 ideas must be submitted by July 30th.  NASA will give $25,000 to up 20 of their favorite ideas from this round and they’ll be asked to go on to Phase 2.  For more info go to deepspacefoodchallenge.org.