“What you guys represent is an example of what vision means in the space programme, always describing our willingness to stretch beyond currrent boundaries and to look at things in new ways” rightly said Barack Obama. As the technology is progressing at a faster pace, one such technology of water recycling system has taken place. With the help of this technology, sweat and moisture from air and even urine will be recycled to reduce astronauts’ thirst. On Wednesday, astronauts celebrated their day by drinking recycled urine water.
The $250 million recycling system technology was set up in space last November and was carried by the space shuttle Endeavour. However, the technology came into actual use only after the samples were finally tested back on Earth. After successful testing, the three crewmembers celebrated the urine drinking event on Wednesday onboard ISS.
The technology
The system collects the urine of the astronauts from the toilet into a big tank where it is boiled off and finally the vapors are collected. The unwanted brine in the urine is discarded away. The water from the air condensation is mixed with the water vapor, which goes through filtration process, and finally the clean drinking water is produced.
Major breakthrough for NASA
The technology will provide dual benefit to NASA. First, it will save NASA from carrying extra load of water to the station. Secondly, the members onboard ISS can now be easily increased from three to six; ultimately giving a big boost to space research.
Recycling urine on Earth
I know it sounds disgusting. But the fact is, by 2025, more than half of the world’s population will be suffering from fresh water crisis and by 2050, the danger will inflate gripping 75% of the population. Therefore, the only solution left is to go with this method. The crewmembers have set an example for us to follow it.
Pee-cycling already in use
• Many countries are setting urine separation projects to produce vegetables from it. Denmark is using the technology to spray recycled water in fields and grow organic vegetables.
• Urine contains nutrients, which, after recycling, can be used as fertilizers. In Netherlands, urine is stored in Grontmij trucks, which is passed to a special treatment plant where precipitation of phosphate takes place and ammonium magnesium phosphate is produced. The product produced act as a fertilizer and reduce the demand for mined phosphates.
We might witness the same technology percolating in our homes. Who knows? Would you go for it?
Via: TIME