A spacesuit capable of turning urine into drinking water has been developed

The authors of the invention plan to use it in the coming years

Scientists are developing a spacesuit capable of turning urine into drinking water. The creators hope that the prototype, modeled after the «dysticcombs» from the fantasy universe of Dune, can be used before 2030 in NASA's Artemis program.

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A sci-fi-inspired spacesuit that converts urine into drinking water could allow astronauts to undertake long spacewalks during upcoming lunar missions, writes The Guardian.

The prototype, modeled after the “disticombs” from the classic sci-fi film Dune, collects urine, cleans it and can return it to an astronaut through a drinking tube within five minutes.

The suit's creators hope the suit can be used before the end of the decade as part of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to study how to live and work for long periods of time on another world.

“The design includes an external vacuum catheter leading to a combined forward and reverse osmosis unit, providing a continuous supply of drinking water with multiple safety mechanisms to ensure the well-being of the astronaut,” said Sophia Etlin, a researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University and one of the space suit developers.

NASA is preparing for the Artemis III mission in 2026, which aims to land a crew on the moon's south pole, with the stated goal of launching crewed missions to Mars by the 2030s. Urine and sweat are already routinely processed on the International Space Station (ISS), but Etlin said a similar system is needed when astronauts go on missions.

“Currently, astronauts only have one liter of water in the drink packs they carry in their spacesuits,” says Etlin. — This is not enough for the planned longer spacewalks on the Moon, which could last 10 hours and even up to 24 hours in emergency cases.

In addition, there have long been complaints about the existing waste disposal solution — so-called maximum absorbency clothing (MAG), which is essentially an adult diaper.

Clothing is reported to be leak-prone, uncomfortable and unhygienic, causing some astronauts to limit their food and drink intake before spacewalks and others to complain of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

“If you «You give NASA billions of dollars, you'd think they wouldn't store diapers,» said Etlin, who surveyed astronauts while researching the new design.

“Oxygen leaks are common,” she added. — Astronauts report that at a certain point they can no longer tell whether it is urine or sweat. They're like, «Yes, I'm an astronaut, and this is a burden I have to bear.»

Perhaps future commercial astronauts will be less inclined to be stoic about it, she suggested.

Professor Christopher Mason of Weill Cornell Medicine, senior author of the study, said: «Even in the absence of a large desert planet like Dune, it may be better for astronauts.»

The proposed system “disticomba” includes a molded silicone cup that fits over the genitals and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes for women and men. It is located inside underwear made of several layers of elastic fabric.

The silicone cup is connected to a vacuum pump, which automatically turns on as soon as the astronaut begins to urinate. Once collected, the urine is sent to a filtration system where it is processed into water with an efficiency of 87%. The system uses an osmosis system to remove water from urine, as well as a pump to separate water from salt.

Collecting and purifying 500ml of urine takes just five minutes. During use, purified water can be enriched with electrolytes and returned to the astronaut as an energy drink.

The system measures 38 by 23 cm and weighs about 8 kg. The system was found to be compact and lightweight enough to be worn on the back of a spacesuit. The team plans to recruit 100 volunteers in New York City this fall to test the system for usability and functionality.

“Our system can be tested in artificial microgravity environments, since microgravity is a major spatial factor we must consider , says Mason. “These tests will ensure the functionality and safety of the system before its deployment in real space flights.”

Details about the prototype were published in the journal Frontiers in Space Technology.