It’s certainly not the most glamorous aspect of going into space, but urinating is a necessity that all astronauts must contend with numerous times during every mission, often in less-than-ideal conditions.
Using the zero-gravity toilets on the International Space Station has its own inconveniences, but taking care of bodily functions while wearing a spacesuit is even less pleasant. Despite the incredible technological advances required to launch an astronaut into space, the current method for dealing with human waste isn’t particularly advanced; the maximum absorbency garment, or MAG, is essentially an adult diaper made with a super-absorbent polymer. During lengthy spacewalks, relieving oneself in a MAG sometimes becomes necessary, however uncomfortable it may feel. Astronauts have reportedly limited their food and water intake before spacewalks to avoid having to use them. This can lead to other problems, including poor mission performance and urinary tract infections.
Inspired by the stillsuits worn in the sci-fi series Dune, Cornell University researchers have developed a prototype that would significantly improve the spacewalk experience. The idea is to recycle urine and turn it into drinking water, thus solving another pressing issue for space travelers: the current in-suit drink bags only hold around a liter of liquid.
The prototype relies on a silicon collection cup contained within a flexible undergarment. Using moisture-activated vacuum power, an external catheter carries the waste to a forward-reverse osmosis unit, which filters the urine and transforms it into a reliable supply of clean, safe drinking water for the astronaut. The entire process, which has an impressive efficiency rate of 87%, can purify 500 ml of urine into potable water and return it to the astronaut’s drinking tube in just five minutes. Electrolytes can also be added to create an energy drink.
From Arrakis to the Moon:
- The filtration system, which features pumps, sensors, a display screen, and a 20.5-volt battery, attaches to the back of a spacesuit. The unit weighs more than 17 pounds (8 kg)—a fairly substantial addition, but hopefully worthwhile considering the important needs it fulfills.
- This spacesuit modification comes amid NASA’s efforts to return humans to the Moon with the Artemis program. This could ultimately involve lengthy excursions on the lunar surface, with astronauts wearing spacesuits for up to 10 hours a day, or possibly much longer during an emergency.
- The spacesuit creators hope that their design could be worn by Artemis astronauts within the next few years. However, before the new spacesuits can be deployed on future missions, they will need to be tested for comfort, safety, and functionality in simulated microgravity conditions.
- In Dune, which takes place on the scorching hot desert planet of Arrakis, stillsuits are full-body survival garments that keep the Fremen cool and preserve all of the moisture lost through urination, perspiration, and saliva, filtering out the salt and waste and returning it to the wearer as precious drinking water.
