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The survival suit worn by the desert-dwelling Fremen – “stillsuits” that recycle all body fluids into potable water – is a surprise from the sci-fi film franchise “Dune”. Now, such technology appears to be on the horizon, with scientists unveiling a prototype spacecraft system that turns urine into drinking water.
Astronauts can spend a lot of time outside their space habitat doing extra-vehicular activities, or EVAs. There were 37 spacewalks between 2021 and 2023 for science experiments or repairs to the International Space Station, and they lasted an average of 6 hours and 26 minutes, according to a study by Cornell University scientists published on Friday in the magazine. Frontiers in Space Technology. Space trails can last more than 8 hours.
During these long periods of spacewalks, the astronauts currently wear a white EVA suit, which has maximum absorbency. These disposable garments are basically diapers that collect and contain urine and feces. They must be able to hold up to a liter (1.8 pints) of urine and 75 grams (2.6 ounces) of faecal matter per day for each member of staff.
However, these EVA suits were designed more than 40 years ago, and NASA currently has no concrete plans to renew or replace them. The space agency announced in June that it was canceling contracts worth more than $100 billion with Collins Aerospace to create next-generation spacesuits, although at least two other US companies are work on space suits and NASA may seek additional contractors, the space agency confirmed. to CNN.
“You’d think in the 21st century, astronauts wouldn’t be using diapers,” lead study author Sofia Etlin, an astronomer and research staff member at Weill Cornell Medical College’s Mason Lab in New York, told CNN on Friday.
Although the diapers can effectively absorb waste, they have been found to harm the astronauts’ health and cause them discomfort. Astronauts reported leaking diapers, making them unable to distinguish between their urine and sweat, and complained of skin rashes and odor problems. Crew members face medical risks such as fecal cross-contamination, urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal distress, which is exacerbated by astronauts’ reduced access to medical care.
Some days have reduced their meals even before EVA so that they don’t have to eat one, which could affect their performance on intense spacewalks, according to the researchers.
Just being in space causes dehydration, and physically demanding spacewalks cause further dehydration, which affects astronauts’ performance. But, the suitable beverage bag, which currently provides astronauts with 32 ounces of water and a small dose of glucose, has “significant issues”, including being time-consuming to prepare, contributing to reduced work efficiency, according to the researchers. . Astronauts have said that the amount of water it currently supplies is insufficient.
Dune System
To “promote astronaut wellness,” the researchers have designed a new suitable urine collection and filtration system, or “Dune” system, Etlin said.
The system would recycle urine using forward and reverse osmosis, a model used by the current wastewater treatment system on board the space station, to remove contaminants from the urine and filter it to drinking water.
One feature of the system is a urine collection device, which would contain a silicon cup, which would be shaped differently for men and women. The device would have several layers of fabric, including an antimicrobial fabric, to allow urine to be quickly drawn from the body to the outer surface of the cup, where it can be pumped away, reducing the health risk of extended exposure to the cup. urine
The liquid would then enter the filtration system, a two-stage apparatus that extracts water from urine into a salt solution, with a pump that then separates pure water from salt.
The authors of the study suggested that a volume of 500 milliliters (0.9 pints) of urine could be processed in less than five minutes, and that more than 86.8% of it would be effectively recycled into drinking water.
The water would then be pumped into the drink bag in a suit, where it would be replenished with electrolytes, and possibly carbohydrates, for nutritional and energy needs.
The entire apparatus would sit in a bag that could be placed on the back of the EVA suit, adding 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) to its total weight.
While “the weight of the suit is a definite concern for future lunar missions, we believe that the increased comfort and resource efficiency provided by the system will more than make up for the slightly increased bulk,” the study authors said.
Spacesuits reimagined
Etlin said this is “key” to developing this technology since “spacesuits as we know them are being reimagined.”
Although NASA canceled its contract with Collins Aerospace to wear spacesuits on the ISS, it still has a contract worth up to $230 million to develop lunar spacesuits with Houston-based company Axiom Space.
Designed to have greater flexibility and movement, provide more visibility and insulation, and have a portable life support system, the suits could play a critical role in NASA’s Artemis III mission, which seeks to bring astronauts back to the moon later in the decade, for further ventures. than ever.
However, even these novel fit designs still have the old-style diaper, according to Etlin. (Axiom did not immediately respond to a request for comment about its spacesuit design.)
“In the Artemis missions, astronauts might be out there for hours and hours on end, or there might be types of emergency situations where they have to get back to base, but their rover broke down. You have all kinds of contingencies where you need water and you need a waste system that’s not limited to what diapers can hold,” she said.
In addition to the Artemis program, which seeks to land a woman and a beautiful person on the moon for the first time, the race is on for Mars, where drinking water would be a luxury.
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