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THE NASA Lunar Loo challenge was hosted by NASA's Human Landing System Program in June 2020. Its aim was to look for different alternatives to a space toilet that will be smaller, more efficient and capable of working in both microgravity and lunar gravity. The challenge included a Technical and Junior category and Zyson took first place in the Junior category.
It was Zyson’s father who came across this challenge and introduced it to his son, before an extensive brainstorming process with Chong Soo Sheong, Zyson’s mentor from the I Discovery World, took off. However, this leap into the loo was not just a two-month process but years of learning.
Zyson has been going to the I Discovery World, a science learning centre that promotes problem-solving and looking at science from different perspectives. He has been going to the centre since he was only four years old.
“He has been very curious about space, astronomy and science. The result today is not just a two months process, it’s the result of continuous learning and consistency,” says Chong.
According to Chong, “the first thing a child needs to have is passion and curiosity that will bring them to the next level.” And Zyson definitely carries these traits.
This challenge was not Zyson’s first lift-off. He has participated in other science fairs before this. Chong shared with The Vibes about Zyson’s experience creating a model of our solar system at the young age of six, and also a prototype of a solar charging system for cars.
When asked about the planning process for Zyson’s invention, Chong shared that instead of trying to find a solution for the question posed, which was to build a lunar toilet, he shared that they focused on solving the problem that led to the question provided.
“We thought about the problem and solved it, instead of trying to solve the question.”
“The first issue that we needed to solve was the issue of microgravity, and thus a pump seemed to be the best option. Next was the question on how can we create a simple pump that Zyson can work with? And using his previous knowledge on using syringes as pumps, we decided on that.”
So you see, Zyson’s genius wasn’t a lightbulb moment that just switched on at the moment, but a process of learning, improvising and using what he already knew and could utilise. No elaborate steps apart from problem-solving were taken, they just elaborated on what they already knew. Zyson may seem like a child genius, but talent is futile without practice and constant challenges, and that’s where his mentor Chong and his parents come in.
Zyson’s mentor and parents proved to be excellent support as they helped him through the filming process and helped him build confidence to present in front of the camera, which can be daunting for anyone who is not used to being in front of the camera. They are currently doing everything they can to ensure that Zyson is receiving positive exposure. They want to build his confidence as well as to provide hope for everyone else, to keep going despite this pandemic. – The Vibes, November 5, 2020
