The quest to establish human settlements on Mars and beyond relies heavily on the development of innovative water recycling systems. NASA engineers have been working on a system to recycle water by using filters and processors to recover water from astronauts’ breath, sweat, and urine. The system, known as the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), has been in use on the International Space Station (ISS) for years, and NASA recently announced a breakthrough that has increased the recovery rate of astronaut fluids to 98%, up from 94%.
The ECLSS system is composed of various pieces of hardware, including the Water Recovery System and the Water Processor Assembly, which work together to recycle water. The Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) is responsible for recovering water from urine using vacuum distillation. A Brine Processor Assembly (BPA) is also used to extract remaining wastewater, which has been demonstrated to be effective in microgravity.
According to Christopher Brown, part of the Johnson Space Center team working on the ISS life support system, the 98% recovery rate is a significant milestone in the evolution of such systems. “Let’s say you collect 100 pounds of water on the station. You lose 2 pounds of that and the other 98% just keeps going around and around. Keeping that running is a pretty awesome achievement,” Brown said.
While the idea of drinking recycled urine might seem unappealing, NASA claims that the water produced by the system is “far superior” to that produced by municipal water systems. The processing system is similar to some terrestrial water distribution systems, with the added challenge of operating in microgravity. The crew is not drinking urine, but rather water that has been reclaimed, filtered, and cleaned to be cleaner than water found on Earth.
Mars Exploration Requires Innovative Water Recycling Systems
As NASA prepares for deep space missions, it is essential to develop reliable and robust regenerative systems that can reclaim all necessary resources on board. According to Jill Williamson, ECLSS water subsystems manager, the inability to perform resupply missions during long-duration flights means that crews must be able to reclaim all resources needed. The less water and oxygen that needs to be shipped, the more science that can be added to the launch vehicle.
In fact, during his year-long ISS mission from 2015 to 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly drank 730 liters of recycled sweat and urine. This technology is crucial for future missions to Mars and beyond, where resources will be scarce.
The water recycling system has already undergone significant improvements, from the original 80% recovery rate to the current 98%. As NASA continues to evolve and refine the system, it is likely that even more efficient and effective processing methods will be developed. The goal is to create a self-sustaining system that can recycle water and other resources, allowing astronauts to focus on their mission rather than worrying about basic needs.
With the current focus on Mars exploration, the development of innovative water recycling systems is critical to ensure the success of future missions. NASA’s breakthrough in water recycling is a significant step forward, and it is likely that this technology will continue to improve and refine as the agency prepares for deep space missions.
