When you've got to go, but when you're out there in space, zipped up in a spacesuit, with no toilet in sight and a crew of other astronauts around, what do you do?

NASA has launched a contest for inventors to solve this uncomfortable issue, and promises to award $30,000 to the best "space poop" solutions.

Inventors have until Dec 20 to submit designs for a system that will handle everything, hands-free, for a period of up to six days.