The new spacesuit urine filtration system by Cornell researchers recycles astronauts’ urine into drinkable water, aiming to improve comfort and efficiency on future Moon and Mars missions. Currently, astronauts must relieve themselves inside their spacesuits during spacewalks, which is uncomfortable, unhygienic, and wasteful.
To address this issue, Cornell researchers designed a novel urine collection and filtration system inspired by the “stillsuits” from the sci-fi franchise Dune. The prototype absorbs and purifies urine, recycling it into drinking water with an efficiency of 87%.
The design includes a vacuum-based external catheter that leads to a combined forward-reverse osmosis unit, providing a continuous supply of potable water with multiple safety mechanisms to ensure astronaut well-being.
This new system is expected to be tested under simulated conditions and during real spacewalks. It has the potential to improve comfort and efficiency on future missions to the Moon and Mars.
The researchers designed a urine collection device that includes an undergarment made of flexible fabric, which connects to a collection cup with a different shape and size for women and men. The system uses a vacuum pump and an RFID tag linked to an absorbent hydrogel to react to moisture and activate the pump.
Once collected, the urine is diverted to the urine filtration system, where it gets recycled through a two-step, integrated forward and reverse osmosis filtration system. This process removes water from urine using a concentration gradient and a pump to separate water from salt. The purified water is then enriched in electrolytes and pumped into the in-suit drink bag.
The system is powered by a 20.5V battery with a capacity of 40 amp-hours and has a total size of 38 by 23 by 23 cm, weighing approximately eight kilograms.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/no-longer-science-fiction-scientists-develop-real-life-stillsuit-from-dune/