- Scientists in space have recently tested an innovative technology.
- Drinking water has been derived from urine through a process called urine to water.
Objective
A remarkable advancement of converting urine to water in the field of space exploration has been achieved by the crewmembers currently on board the International Space Station. They have effectively created a fresh supply of water by collecting surrounding humidity and purifying their own bodily waste. The milestone was accomplished by the group utilizing the Environmental Management and Vitality Protection Mechanism (EMVPM) of the celestial outpost.
The sewerage system is intended to accumulate perspiration and exhalation dampness and convey it to the Water Processing Unit (WPU), which transforms it into potable water. NASA works to develop more efficient systems to convert urine and cabin condensation into potable water for long missions to the moon or Mars
Scientists say: The unique innovation of transforming urine to water, Eco Fert, helps convert 1,000 liters of urine into 850 liters of water, leaving out organic fertilizer and ammonia, making the latter available for commercial use in the market.
The cost of carrying water
NASA has no plans to carry ample water supply for astronauts to drink during prolonged expeditions that can last for months as part of their continuous exploration of the solar system. Instead of bringing in massive amounts of water, the space agency has developed a urine to water-recovery mechanism that recycles not just urine, but also condensed water vapors and trace elements from crew perspiration and breathing. Advanced technology has been in development for a considerable amount of time.
However, in order to align with NASA’s ambitions of returning to the moon and moving towards Mars, significant improvements need to be made to the water-recycling system. This system forms a crucial component of the Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) that is currently utilized on the International Space Station (ISS). If we momentarily ignore logistical issues, carrying water on a space shuttle results in a staggering cost of approximately $5,000 per kilogram (2.2 pounds). Subsequently, prolonged missions are likely to face even higher expenses.
The process of urine to water
An advanced technology of space exploration has introduced a mechanism for transmuting astronaut’s urine to water and the moisture found inside the cabin. This system filters and transforms the collected moisture into drinkable water by using various chemical processes. The initial phase is to separate the solid components from the liquid, such as hair and skin cells. After that, the contaminants are chemically broken down, and oxygen is infused into the liquid to eliminate any trace organics.
The final step is to eradicate any cleaning-related chemicals, which is called “polishing.” To ensure microbiological safety, iodine is added to the water, just like municipal water agencies add chlorine to drinking water in the city. The end product liquid is transferred to a spacious reservoir for future consumption. Cutting-edge techniques for water retrieval invented by NASA make it possible to retrieve as much as 85% of the content of urine to water.
NASA’s advanced research has shown that they can salvage up to 92% of the moisture that is typically discarded during a space voyage, which includes distilled condensate that has been purified. However, if the devices designed to transform urine to water are to be taken along with individuals to the moon or Mars, they must exhibit vastly improved capabilities. “Retrieving 92% of the water is impressive, and that represents an eco-friendly water retrieval percentage for the near-Earth space,” affirms Bob Bagdigian, the ECLSS at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Centre in Huntsville, Alabama. Longer journeys, however, “would make it burdensome to cope with the deficient 8%.”
The development
Johnson Space Centre in Houston are busy experimenting with various techniques, with an additional focus on the Marshall approach. It is projected that the final outcome will incorporate the most effective components of all three approaches, consolidating the presently independent processes. The ultimate recovery system may merge urine to water process and condensation with the remaining water from showers or laundry, rather than treating urine and condensation separately. Although the International Space Station (ISS) is presently devoid of showers or washers, NASA has not discarded the possibility of using them on forthcoming exploratory missions. Dilution at the outset enhances the pee’s sterilization process.
Scientists are currently working on a ground-breaking method to extract even more water from salty liquid, known as brine. This pioneering technique is called the Brine Processing Unit (BPU) and it aims to recover wastewater. The BPU system is undergoing rigorous tests in a zero-gravity environment to ensure it works effectively. Special membrane technology is utilized to purify the concentrated saltwater created by the UPA prior to disseminating warm, arid air over it to vaporize the liquid. The moisture-magnetizing equipment in the facility seizes the moist air generated and the perspiration and breath of the personnel.
The man behind the success
Christopher Brown, a member of the team at Johnson Space Centre, expressed his admiration for the recent achievement regarding life support systems of metamorphosing urine to water. Brown acknowledged the importance of water recycling in space, highlighting the remarkable success that was achieved by launching with a limited water supply, losing only two pounds of water, and having the remaining 98% continue to circulate.
Additionally, scientists have found that the water produced through this process is even cleaner than our planet’s drinking water. Brown was quick to clarify that rather than drinking their own urine, the crew consumes restored, thoroughly filtered water during mealtimes. This is undoubtedly a tremendous accomplishment for space exploration and a step forward in sustaining life on other planets. This remarkable accomplishment emphasizes the complicated techniques and rigorous earth examination employed to ensure the creation of clean and potable liquid in outer space.
Conclusion
The primary goal is to imitate the natural process of recycling human excreta, such as urine. Roman explained that the unique aspect of this process is the ability to distinguish the source of the urine in a lunar station and give result to the technology of urine to water.
