NASA Advances Water Recycling on the ISS for Sustainable Deep Space Missions
📷 Image source: cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net
NASA is pushing the boundaries of sustainable living in space with its latest upgrades to the International Space Station’s (ISS) water recycling systems. This week, astronauts are testing enhanced filtration technology designed to convert wastewater—including urine and condensation—into clean drinking water with unprecedented efficiency. The improvements are critical for future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, where resupply from Earth won’t be feasible.\n\nThe system, part of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), already recycles about 93% of the ISS’s water. New membranes and distillation components aim to boost that figure closer to 98%, reducing reliance on cargo shipments. 'Every drop counts,' said NASA’s ECLSS project manager, noting that the tech could someday benefit arid regions on Earth.\n\nMeanwhile, ESA (European Space Agency) astronauts are conducting parallel experiments with closed-loop hydroponics, growing crops using recycled water. Collaborative efforts like these underscore the ISS’s role as a testbed for off-world survival. Additional research published in *Nature* (2024) highlights similar water-reclamation innovations being explored for lunar bases.\n\nThe crew also tackled routine maintenance, including a spacewalk to inspect solar arrays and a live Q&A with students to discuss life in microgravity. With the ISS set to retire by 2030, NASA is funneling these lessons into its Artemis program and beyond.
0 Komentar