On June 26, the crew of the ISS space station just achieved a 98% water recovery rate, which is a milestone in the effort to recycle water in space. In particular, astronauts can do this thanks to recycle their urine and sweat.
A water purification device, used to recycle urine in space.
A water purification device, used to recycle urine in space. (Photo: NASA).
A report by the American Space Agency (NASĄ) indicates that each IS astronaut consumes 2.5 to 3 liters of water per day. This amount of water is used for direct consumption, moistening food and personal hygiene. Improving the water recycling rate will help the crew stay longer on the space station, which will serve well for long-term research.
“This is a significant breakthrough in the development of life support systems. You arrive at the space station with 100 liters of water and only consume 2 liters of it, while the remaining 98% is continuously recycled. It’s a remarkable achievement.” Mr. Ϲhristopher Brown – life support system representative on the ƖSS said.
To achieve the above water recycling rate, scientists used “Environmental Regulatory and Life Support System” (ECLSS). This device is composed of a waste water recovery system, a humidity filter and an advanced filter. EELSS can recycle 98% of water in a microgravity environment, while adding iodine to the finished product to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
“Don’t worry about the crew having to drink urine. Through careful collection and filtration, it is purer than many types of water used on Earth.”said Mr. Jill Williɑmson – CEO of ECLSS.
According to Williamson, an increased rate of recycled water means a decrease in the amount of oxygen and water stored on each space mission. This allows the crew to carry more scientific equipment with them, which helps maximize focus on the research mission.
Source of the article: VietnamNet
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On June 26, the crew of the ISS space station just achieved a 98% water recovery rate, which is a major milestone in efforts to recycle water in space.
