A space suit that converts urine into water was developed in the USA (6 photos)

It’s not enough for American astronauts to drink filtered urine on the ISS, so local engineers decided to equip them with spacesuits with the same function as a stationary liquid purification system.





Inspired by the idea of ​​collecting and preserving liquid created by the Zen Sunnis, the ancestors of the Fremen from the planet Dune, scientists developed similar spacesuits, only less beautiful. Since they had a hard time coming up with ideas for a name, the new spacesuit was called “Dune.”



This is what it looked like in the fantasies of writer Frank Herbert

Astronauts can spend quite a lot of time in outer space, but physiological needs have not yet been canceled.

There were 31 such egresses from 2021 to 2023, and they lasted an average of 6 hours and 26 minutes, according to a study published Friday by Cornell University scientists. The longest spacewalk lasted 8 hours.





During long spacewalks, American astronauts wear white, puffy EVA spacesuits that contain disposable clothing with maximum absorbency: diapers that collect and contain urine and feces. They must hold up to one liter of urine and 75 grams of feces per day for each crew member.

These EVA suits were developed over 40 years ago. But NASA has no plans to update or replace them. In June, the space agency canceled more than $100 billion in contracts for next-generation spacesuits with Collins Aerospace.

“You would think that in the 21st century, astronauts wouldn't use diapers,” lead study author Sophia Etlin, an astrobiologist and postdoctoral fellow at Mason Laboratory at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, told CNN on Friday.



Although diapers are effective at absorbing waste, they are harmful to astronauts' health and cause discomfort. Americans often complain of skin rashes and odor problems.

The new system will process urine using forward and reverse purification, similar to the current wastewater treatment system aboard the space station. One aspect of the system is a silicone urine collection cup. It will have several layers of fabric, including antimicrobial. The device will quickly drain urine from the body to the outer surface of the glass, where it can be pumped out. This will reduce the health risks associated with prolonged contact with urine.



Shown here is a prototype urine collection cup for men.

The liquid will then enter a filtration system, a two-stage device that removes the water from the urine into a saline solution, and then a pump separates the clean water from the salt.

The study authors suggested that a volume of 500 milliliters of urine could be processed in less than five minutes, with more than 86.8% of the urine being effectively processed into drinking water.

The water will then be pumped into the suit's hydration bag, where it will be replenished with electrolytes and possibly carbohydrates to meet nutritional and energy needs.

The entire device will be housed in a bag that can be attached to the back of the EVA suit, which will add 8 kilograms to its total weight.

Scientists believe now is the “right time” to develop this technology as “space suits as we know them are being reimagined.”



A rear view of the entire system shows that it can be worn as a backpack.

Designed to improve flexibility and mobility, provide greater visibility and insulation, and equipped with portable life support, the suits could play a critical role in NASA's Artemis III mission, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon later this decade.

They plan to test the system on 100 volunteers in the fall.