When science fiction materialises into reality! Urine from astronauts can be converted into drinkable water in minutes with a spacesuit inspired by Dune.
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But with the help of a new spacesuit that draws inspiration from Dune, astronauts may soon be able to do so.
Researchers at Cornell University invented the spacesuit, which has a cutting-edge gadget that turns pee waste into drinkable water. Even though the suit is still in the prototype stage, astronauts who are currently need to urinate while spending extended spacewalks inside their spacesuits may find this to be a godsend. According to Sofia Etlin, the study's first author, "the design includes a vacuum-based external catheter leading to a combined forward-reverse osmosis unit, providing a continuous supply of potable water with multiple safety mechanisms to ensure astronaut wellbeing."
How does it operate? The gadget attaches to a silicone collection cup that encircles the genitalia and comes with a flexible undergarment. Urine is drawn away from the body by the polyester microfibre lining the inner face of the collection cup. An RFID tag attached to an absorbent hydrogel senses wetness and triggers a vacuum pump to quickly draw up the pee. Urine is collected and then directed towards a filtration system to eliminate any remaining water. Astronauts can then drink from the electrolyte-enriched purified water that has been pumped into an in-suit drink bag.
The gadget attaches to a silicone collection cup that encircles the genitalia and comes with a flexible undergarment. Urine is drawn away from the body by the polyester microfibre lining the inner face of the collection cup. An RFID tag attached to an absorbent hydrogel senses wetness and triggers a vacuum pump to quickly draw up the pee. Urine is collected and then directed towards a filtration system to eliminate any remaining water. Astronauts can then drink from the electrolyte-enriched purified water that has been pumped into an in-suit drink bag.
ASTRONAUTS: HOW DO THEY GO TO THE TOILET?
There is a lavatory with multiple attachments on the International Space Station. Liquids do not flow in space because there is no gravity; instead, they build up into floating globules. Hoses are used to counteract this issue by applying pressure, which causes the bodily fluids to be sucked out. Every astronaut has a unique attachment. Maximum Absorbency Garments, or "MAGs," are diapers that completely absorb waste, and astronauts use them when there isn't a bathroom nearby or they are on a spacewalk. Although they have been known to leak on occasion, they work well for brief missions. NASA wants to create a spacesuit that can be used for extended periods of time and that can dispose of human waste entirely on its own.
The all-male crew of the lunar missions had "condom catheters," which were linked to the penis and fed fluid to a bag outside the suit. There was also no bathroom on board. In 1976, astronaut Rusty Schweickart stated in an interview that the condom catheters were available in three sizes: small, medium, and big. The astronauts frequently ordered the large ones, which led to a pee leak in the suit, despite the practical benefits of having the proper size. In order to soothe the masculine ego, NASA renamed the sizes as large, giant, and gargantuan in order to counter this. Although a female equivalent has not yet been constructed, NASA hopes to remedy this for the Orion missions.