In the future, as astronauts travel across barren extraterrestrial terrain, new technology may allow them to do so without as much fear of running out of water or wading through the unpleasant sensation of their own urine. Sand DunesA urine filtration system inspired by the urinary insufficiency of urine. Developed by researchers at Cornell University, this small, backpack-style device is available today at The forefront of space technology, It could help explorers undertake longer space missions without the need for heavy, cumbersome water reserves, and it could also help modernize astronauts’ current approach to disposing of biological waste, which is essentially the equivalent of a large adult diaper.
The new device uses a tiny silicone catheter to instantly identify and absorb astronauts’ urine. An integrated on-board reverse osmosis and forward osmosis system filters out toxins and stores the remaining liquid as safe drinking water. If successful, the researchers say the new filtration system will give astronauts a “continuous supply of potable water,” allowing them to explore their environment without carrying heavy water supplies. This simplified mobility could be especially useful when NASA landes its spacecraft. Planning multiple manned lunar missions Scientific exploration will be at the forefront for the next few years.
Astronauts urinate too much and not enough water
The process of eliminating during a spacewalk is not glamorous. Current spacesuits have a feature called “maximum absorbency garments” (MAGs) that can hold about 300 times their weight in liquid. Although it stands for “super absorbent diaper,” MAGs can essentially hold two liters of urine, blood, and waste. This may seem like a lot, considering how long space explorers spend without access to a toilet. Astronauts are expected to urinate about seven times a day, with a typical spacewalk for repairs or scientific research being one per day. Average duration: 6.5 hours(Excursions over 8 hours It’s not that I’ve never heard of it).
To say the least, many astronauts are uncomfortable performing important, often risky tasks with a flabby bottom. Researchers say astronauts may also choose to eat small, low-calorie meals to reduce the amount of waste generated in their spacesuits. However, this strategy may simultaneously impair their ability to perform at their best, both mentally and physically. Wearing soiled MAG diapers for extended periods also inherently increases the chances of skin irritation and infections.
“This is certainly an environment that is not conducive to optimal performance or healthy living,” the researchers wrote.
But wet diapers are only half the problem. Spacewalks are physically demanding, and if astronauts aren’t properly hydrated, they can easily become dehydrated. Current spacesuits have Drink bag in suit (IDB) Filled with just 32 ounces of water. Astronaut Simulation Responding to a hypothetical rover malfunction in space would result in astronauts consuming 50% to 100% of their water allotment — and only for now — during future planned Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars. Mars Astronauts will need to spend much more time on spacewalks and exploration missions than they do now, and they will need much more water to survive in those environments.
“Currently, astronauts’ drink bags in their spacesuits only hold one liter of water,” says Sophia Etlin, a research associate at Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell University, “which is insufficient for the longer lunar spacewalks planned, which can last up to 10 hours and up to 24 hours in an emergency.”
Cornell University researchers believe they’ve found a solution that can solve both problems simultaneously with their prototype “urine collection device” (UCD). The device absorbs astronauts’ waste, filters it, and adds nutrients back into the water so it can be used as drinking water. This process doesn’t apply to feces or sweat. Overall, the entire process to filter 100-500mL of typical urine takes less than five minutes. If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because the device is similar in concept to Stillsuit, Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel turned Hollywood blockbuster. Sand DunesIn that case, the flehmen in the novel Covered from head to toe in fabric and tubes It has the ability to turn moisture into highly valuable water. In comparison, the UCD is modest: Shaped like a rigid backpack, the device has an area of 38X23 and adds 8 kilograms (17 pounds).
How a urine filtration device works
In fact, the new filtration system will replace the previous diaper with several layers of fabric that allow urine to pass through easily. Unlike the previous MAG system, which aimed to absorb large amounts of urine, the UCD should do the opposite, absorbing as little plant liquid as possible. Astronauts using the new system will wear a gender-specific silicone external catheter, similar to the “cups” that some athletes wear over their genitals. An RFID tag attached to the absorbent hydrogel will recognize if the cup is filled with liquid using a humidity detector. When the cup is full, a vacuum pump will be activated to move the urine to the filtration device.
Once activated, urine is pumped through an antibacterial fabric layer to minimize contact with the astronaut’s skin. The device then uses an integrated forward osmosis and reverse osmosis system to filter salts and other solutes from the urine. The resulting purified water is finally enriched with electrolytes and pumped back into the suit’s drink bag, where the astronaut can take a sip. According to the researchers, the filtration system recycles urine into water with an efficiency of 85% and a water recovery rate of at least 75%. The entire process is powered by a 20.5-volt battery.
UCD’s initial prototypes are already underway. Christopher Mason, a professor of physiology and biophysics at Cornell and lead author of the study, says the device can be tested in simulated microgravity environments that future Artemis astronauts might experience. While the device could add weight and battery issues and complicate the suit, the researchers argue that the trade-offs in terms of hygiene and water storage are “well worth it.”
This is actually not the first example of trying to achieve some elements Sand DunesStyle still suit. Last month, Engineer at YouTube channel Hacksmith Industries Combining personal protective equipment (PPE) and spare computer parts, engineers created a suit that could effectively convert the wearer’s sweat into drinkable water. In this case, engineers used a thermoelectric cooler embedded in the suit to turn the surrounding moisture into liquid. Neither the Hacksmith prototype nor the UCD filtration device is a one-to-one replacement for the type of suit seen in the film. Sand Dunes But they are both evidence that theoretical designs, once confined only to the densely populated pages of science fiction literature, can play a role in rethinking real-world scientific endeavors.
