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PETALING JAYA: Nine-year-old Malaysian young inventor Zyson Kang Zy Shun has made the country proud by taking first place in the prestigious youth category of NASA’s Lunar Loo Challenge, beating nearly 900 participants from around the world.
Impressing a panel of NASA judges, SJK (C) Pin Hwa 1 alumnus Setia Alam, Klang, stood out among 897 entrants from 85 countries, winning the international competition with his “Spacesuit Lunar Toilet”.
Zyson’s invention, which can fit comfortably in an astronaut’s spacesuit, requires no electricity or batteries, it only requires mechanical kinetic energy.
The design concept for “Spacesuit Lunar Toilet”, the student said, revolved around convenience.
“It works by applying a manual mechanical kinetic concept to produce vacuum suction power to crystallize urine and fecal matter for safe disposal.
“When you move your legs, the urine will flow into a container in the astronaut’s boots.
“The design does not require any electrical components, therefore it minimizes the potential for a malfunction in space,” Zyson told The Star.
Invited to present his design to the NASA team on Oct. 28 via webinar, Zyson wowed the judges with his simple but effective idea for “number two” in space.
Chong Soo Sheong, 43, from Kuala Lumpur’s I-Discovery World Science Center, who has been training Zyson, said the boy’s achievement did not happen overnight.
“He has worked tirelessly on his design for months. There was a lot of learning process involved.
“There were a lot of ups and downs, trial and error, as well as learning curves to overcome.
“But I am glad that his perseverance and continuous learning have allowed him to stand out on an international platform,” Chong said.
NASA’s international Lunar Loo Challenge was held to search for new designs for a toilet that will operate in both microgravity and lunar gravity for its next lunar mission in 2024.
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